Androsace vitaliana subsp. lepontina

Androsace vitaliana is a species typical of the European mountains. In the Alps, the main species and four subspecies are found, including the rare lepontina subspecies, which is endemic to the Central Alps and typical of the Lepontine Alps (a section of the Alps on the border between Piedmont and Switzerland, above Lake Maggiore). In Italy, it is found exclusively in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley: within the National Park, it is found on the Piedmontese side.

It is a perennial plant that generally grows above 2,000 metres in altitude, in the alpine and nival zones, favouring cliffs and rocky substrates. It takes on a characteristic cushion-like form, more or less dense: an adaptation of high-mountain pioneer flora to the extreme weather and climatic conditions of these areas. It is easily distinguished from other Androsace species as it is the only one with yellow flowers.

The specific name vitaliana derives from Vitaliano Donati (1717–1763), to whom the species is dedicated. An internationally renowned naturalist and botanist from Padua, he was appointed director of the Turin Botanical Garden by the House of Savoy in 1750.