WULFENII

S. wulfenii (Hoppe ex Mert. & Koch).

Deutschl. Fl. Ed. 3, 3 : 386 (1831). This species is found in the eastern Alps, also occurring in  the central Alps where it is only locally present. By nature it is a calcifuge, growing  in rocky places at an altitude of 1700 to 2700 m. It is a slow-growing plant that only sparingly produce 2 or 3 offsets to each parent rosette in a season. As a point of interest, Dr. Lloyd Praeger recorded a clump in the Bernina valley which was 38 cm across with more than 100 rosettes.

The rosettes are not unlike S. tectorum var. glaucum, but with the center leaves often closed to form a central bud. Rosette leaves are oblong-spathulate, grey-green, glabrous on face and back with cilia on edges; base of leaves purple and apices without darker colouring. Offsets are on thick stolons up to 10 cm long. Flower-stems are 15 to 25 cm high and bearing pubescent leaves that are slightly recurved at tips. The inflorescence is compact and flattish, usually comprising of 3 short branches; buds ovoid, pointed.

Flowers are 2,5 cm in diameter; petals are a lemon-yellow with a purple base; filaments purple, anthers yellow. This species is not always happy under cultivation, but may be helped if provided with some winter protection.

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