Erigeron alpinus, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 118

7. E. alpinus L. , Sp. Pl. 864 (1753).

Perennial up to 25-(35) cm. Basal leaves 3-8 x 0-3-1 -2 cm, narrowly elliptical to spathulate, petiolate, more or less acute. Leaves ciliate and with dense crispate hairs on both surfaces; occasionally the oldest basal leaves glabrescent. Flowering stems ascending to erect, with 1—3(—10) capitula; cauline leaves up to 11 (-16), lanceolate. Involucral bracts somewhat pubescent, lilac distally; florets trimorphic; ligules lilac. 2л = 18. Mountain grassland and rocky places. Mountains of S. & C. Europe. Al Au Bu Cz Ga Ge Gr He Hs It Ju Po Rm Rs (W).

Variable, particularly in height, indumentum and number of capitula. Tall plants, mostly from the Alps, like 5 in their numerous cauline leaves and several capitula are sometimes referred to subsp. intermedius (Schleicher) Pawl. , Acta Bot. Croat. 28: 285 (1969). Regional variants from the Pyrenees (with dwarf habit and narrow leaves) and from the Appennini (with dense indumentum) have also been recognized. In the Balkan peninsula other regional variants occur. In Srbija and Bulgaria rather densely hairy plants with solitary capitula are found; these have been called E. rhodopaeus (Vierh.) Hayek, Prodr. FI. Penins. Balcan. 2: 587 (1931). In Greece more robust plants with large leaves and 2 or more capitula, resembling plants from Romania, occur, while in the mountains of Albania and Macedonia plants intermediate between 7 and 12 are found, though in this area the commonest species is 8.

E. alpinus has been confused with 9 and 12 and intermediates with both these occur. Like 9 it is closely related to 11, from which it is best distinguished by the usually dense crispate indumentum and acute basal leaves. Records of 7 from S. Spain (Sierra Nevada) mostly refer to 13.