Alpine Flora:

Here are some of my personal photographs of Alpine Flowers spotted during walks in the Alpine (Tirolean) regions.

They were mostly to be found between altitudes of 5,500 to 7,000 feet above sea level.

(Click on a picture for a clear enlargement. Best viewed at 1280x1024 resolution)

Gentiana Acaulis (Trumpet Gentian - Enzian)

Echium Vulgare (Viper's Bugloss)

Gentiana Acaulis (Trumpet Gentian - Enzian)

Gentiana Verna (Spring Gentian - Enzian)

Thalictrum Aquilegifolium

(Meadow Rue / Wiesenraute)

Spotted on one of our Tyrolean walks and pictured below is the very rare white Alpine form of the well-known and more common purple-pink Meadow Rue.

Thalictrum Aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue / Wiesenraute)

Thalictrum Aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue / Wiesenraute)

Eriophorum Scheuchzeri (Arctic Cotton Grass)

Eriophorum Scheuchzeri

(Arctic Cotton Grass)

Was once quite common but due to man's intervention, draining the mountain moor areas, this is now protected in many areas and classified as rare to very rare.

Rhododendron Ferrugineum (Alpenrose)

Rhododendron Ferrugineum (Alpenrose)

Phyteuma Orbiculare (Teufelskralle)

Symbolic Alpine Beauty

(Edelweiß, Enzian & Almrausch)

Three very significant, rare and heavily protected plants, dearest to the hearts of all Alpine Mountain Folk are:

 Edelweiß - signifying courage and a promise of fidelity from the courting Male

Enzian - The endless blue sky and loyalty

Almrausch (Alpenrose) - Cheerfulness and happiness during festive times

So far I have managed to find and photograph two of the three. I am still in search of the extremely rare and difficult to find Edelweiß.

Ajuga Pyramidalis (Pyramidal Bugle)

Ajuga Pyramidalis (Pyramidal Bugle)

Pulsatilla Alpina ssp. Apiifolia (Alpine Pasque Flower)

Aster Alpinus (Alpine Aster / Alpenaster)

Pulsatilla Alpina ssp. Apiifolia (Schwefelküchenschelle)

Pulsatilla Alpina ssp. Apiifolia

(Alpine Pasque Flower / Schwefelküchenschelle)

This heavily protected Alpine plant from the Ranunculus family is seen above in full bloom and to the right as the blossom fades and prepares to surrender its seeds to the Alpine winds.

Peeping out from beneath the fading Pulsatilla Alpina is the sturdy, evergreen Polygala Chamaebuxus.

Trollius Europaeus (Globe Flower / Trollblume)

Trollius Europaeus

(Globe Flower / Trollblume)

The Globe Flower is extremely rare in Germany due to its poisonous properties preventing it from being used in meadows supporting cattle. Therefore, it has fallen victim to the extensive fertilisation of arable meadows.

Primula Wulfeniana (Wulfen's Primrose / Wulfens Primel)

Geranium Pratense (Crane's Bill)

Daphne Striata (Striped Daphne)

Alpine Bindweed