Densely tufted; procumbent or ascending, profusely branching stems, with densely imbricate leaves. Leaves 2-5 mm long, opposite or alternate, obovate, ovate or subelliptic, minutely ciliate, apex flattened above, 1-pitted, keeled. below. Flowers terminal, solitary, shortly pedicellate. Sepals 2 mm long, basally adnate, ovate, obtuse, very sparsely glandular. Petals reddish to pink or purplish, clawed, 2-2½ times the length of sepals. Carpels almost free; styles long.

Widely distributed in the Alps of Europe, the Arctic regions and Asia, This species is extremely diverse in habit, size and colour of flower, shape and ciliation of leaf. The following subspecies occurs in our regions.

Lower Taxon

• Saxifraga oppositifolia subsp. asiatica (Hayek) Engl. & Inn.

Related Synonym(s):

• Saxifraga asiatica Hayek = Saxifraga oppositifolia subsp. asiatica (Hayek) Engl. & Inn.