Besseya - Alpina

The species was first formally described by famed American botanist Asa Gray in 1862 as Synthyris alpina .

Each flower is tubular, two-lipped (resembling a tiny snapdragon), and features two long, protruding stamens, which contribute to the fuzzy appearance of the spike. besseya alpina

The foliage forms a basal rosette, with thick, leathery, dark green to grey-green blades that are 2-5 cm long. The leaf margins are gently toothed or wavy (crenate). The stems and young leaves are often heavily covered in fine, white, woolly hairs, which act as a defense against cold and water loss. The species was first formally described by famed