Rhodothamnus-chamaecistus_22

Description:

Rhodothamnus chamaecistus (L.) Rchb.Ground cistus, DE: ZwergalpenroseSlo.: slenikDat.: May 18. 2015Lat.: 46.43854 Long.: 13.63568Code: Bot_875/2015_IMG7901Habitat: Steep, stony, southeast oriented mountain slope with grass patches, calcareous, ground, full sun, open place, exposed to direct rain and wind, elevation 1.820 m (6.000 feet), average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 0 - 2 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil in rock crevices and rocks.Place: Mt. Mangart's flats, above the lower entrance to the fifth (the last) tunnel of Mt. Mangart alpine road, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC Comment: Rhodothamnus chamaecistus is certainly one of the most noticeable and beautiful flowers of our mountains. It sometimes makes large parts of mountain slopes red similarly like Rhododendron hirsutum, which is his close relative. Both plants belong to the family Ericaceae. The flowers appear in hundreds, each may have up to 3 cm in diameter. Numerous, long and colorful stamens give to the flowers of Rhodothamnus chamaecistus a tender appearance at close look. The plant is (almost) endemic to East Alps. It can be found also in Dinaric Mountains, but not in the west half of the Alps. The plants photographed were growing in numerous large patches full of flowers.Ref.:(1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 630.(2) T. Wraber, 2 x Sto alpskih rastlin na Slovenskem, Preernova druba (2006) (in Slovene), p 118.(3) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 662.(4) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 485.