DESCRIPTION

Herbaceous plant from 10 to 50 cm high. Hollow stem with hair. Basal leaves petiolate and oval with coarsely toothed margin; cauline leaves alternate without petiole surrounding the stem forming a heart. At the end of the stem, there is usually only one flower head 4 to 8 cm in diameter. The capitulum is surrounded by hairy involucres, and is composed of golden-yellow ligulate flowers on the border and numerous orange-yellow tubular flowers in the center.

​

HISTORY

It was previously named Arnonicum by botanist Koch and named Arnica batard because of its resemblance to arnica.

​

HABITAT

Scattered in the northern and southern limestone Alps, rare in the central Alps; in scree and alpine lawns; on very calcareous soils; between 1800 and 3000 m altitude.

​

PARTICULARITIES

The plant is used to flavor Swiss cheeses. The leaves are dried and smoked like a tobacco.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​