ALTUM Turrill, 1936
Section Sempervivum
Distribution : Georgia (Caucasus); 1500 - 2000 m, known only from the type.
Description (according to 't Hart, Bleij & Zonneveld in IHSP, 2003) :
Rosettes rather lax, 2.5 - 4 cm in diameter.
Leaves oblanceolate, abruptly mucronate-acuminate, light green, outer leaves with distinct scarlet tip when exposed to sun, ± 19 x 8 mm, ± 3 mm thick.
Flowering branches 12 cm, leaves oblong, ± 20 x 8 mm.
Flowers 12- to 13-merous, to 3 cm in diameter, sepals spreading, petals carinate, red-purple with green keel, ± 12 x 3 mm, filaments red, anthers orange-red, styles red.
Very close to S. annae and S. ossetiense, but accepted provisionally. Borissova (1939: 16) included S. altum in the synonymy of S. pumilum, but the latter has smaller rosettes and 11- to 12-merous flowers.
See also Alan C. Smith, The Genus Sempervivum and Jovibarba, 1980