About Adenostyles alpina (L.) Bluff & Fingerh.
Adenostyles alpina (L.) Bluff & Fingerh. typically reaches a height of around 60 centimeters (24 inches). Its inflorescence is made up of dense corymbs, which are carried on hairy peduncles. The small flower heads usually contain 3 to 4 individual flowers. The receptacle, the structure that holds the individual flowers, is naked and hairless. All flowers are tubular and hermaphroditic, with a cylindrical, pink-violet corolla. Individual flowers measure 7–8 mm in length. This species flowers from June to August. The plant’s basal leaves are large and kidney-shaped, with toothed margins. These leaves are hairless (glabrous) on both sides; basal leaves reach 12–14 centimeters (4.7–5.5 in) wide and 10–11 centimeters (3.9–4.3 in) long. Cauline (stem) leaves are arranged alternately, growing smaller in size further up the stem, and all are petiolated. Lower cauline leaves measure 10–14 centimeters (3.9–5.5 in) wide and 6–8 centimeters (2.4–3.1 in) long. This species is native to the mountains of southern Europe including the Alps, with a range extending from Spain through Germany to Albania. It prefers moist, shady habitats at elevations between 300 and 1,200 meters (980–3,940 feet).
