Authors: L.  

Botanical Description

Prostrate habit with gnarled brown rooting stems closely following the contour of the ground, rarely more than 10cm high. Leaves obovate, 8-15 X 5-10mm, truncate or emarginate, base cuneate, margin entire (occasionally with very small teeth near the base), glabrous, with very short petioles. Catkins with leaves on short leafy shoots, lax, l-2cm long, broadly cylindrical, anthers yellow, scales yellow to pale brown. Mountains of central and southern Europe including Pyrenees, in rock crevices, stony turf and screes at 1500-3000m, generally but not exclusively calcicole. An important pioneer species in stabilising earth-shdes and screes. In the garden it tends to lose its compact habit unless kept on a meagre diet. In autumn, when the leaves turn yellow, a strong odour of valerian is given off. S. retusa var. serpyllifolia, see S. serpyllifolia.