ALPESTRIS ssp. ALPESTRIS

Synonyms :

Sempervivum acuminatum  Decaisne (1844) / Sedum acuminatum  (Decaisne) Hamet (1929) / Sempervivella acuminata  (Decaisne) A.Berger (1930)

Sempervivum mucronatum  Jacquemont ex Edgeworth (1846) / Sempervivella mucronata  (Jacquemont ex Edgeworth) A.Berger (1930)

Sedum moorcroftianum  Wallich ex Edgeworth (1846)

Sempervivum himalayense  Klotzsch (1862)

Sempervivum fimbriatum  Klotzsch (1862)

Sedum umbilicoides  E.Regel (1877) / Rosularia umbilicoides  (E.Regel) Borissova (1939)

Sedum kokanicum  E.Regel & Schmalhausen ex E. Regel (1882) / Rosularia kokanica  (E.Regel) Borissova (1939)

Sedum olgae  E.Regel & Schmalhausen ex E. Regel (1882)

Sedum durisii  Hamet (1913) / Rhodiola durisii  (Hamet) S.H.Fu (1965)

Sedum schlagintweitii  Fröderström (1931)

Rosularia schischkinii  Borissova (1939)

Rosularia tadzhikistana  Borissova (1939)

Sedum scaphiophyllum  Werdermann (1939)

Sedum nuristanicum  Kitamura (1958) / Rhodiola nuristanica  (Kitamura) H.Jacobsen (1973)

Sempervivella mucronata var. glabra  Kitamura (1960)

Distribution : Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Tibet, Central Asia, 1800 - 4500 m.

Description (according to U. Eggli in IHSP, 2003) :

Roots : A well-developed turbinate-irregular caudex with several taproots.

Rosettes flat to semiglobular, cone-shaped during the resting-period, 3 - 6 cm in diameter, offsets on ± elongate leaveless stalks, or subsessile.

Leaves linear-oblong to obovate, strongly mucronate, very fleshy, light green (ochre and papery when dry), glabrous, sometimes slightly pruinose, margin with few to many translucent ciliae.

Inflorescences corymbiform lateral panicles, densely head-like at anthesis (axis later elongating).

Flowers 6- to 9-merous, glabrous (except carpels), saucer-shaped and star-like, petals ovate, united for the basal 1/5 or less, white to pale pinkish, often with dark purplish venation, apex often distinctly aristate.

Cytology : 2n = 26, 28

This is a very variable taxon, but despite the many synonyms, no infraspecific entities can be recognized with the exception of ssp. marnieri. This taxon is reliably winter-hardy.