Triglav hawksbeard

Author: Peter Strgar

Triglav hawksbeard (Crepis terglouensis)

The Triglav hawksbeard anchors itself in the scree and rock crevices with a short, strong rhizome. This low-growing perennial indeed resembles a dandelion but belongs to the aster family. The low, upright stem bears only one relatively large yellow flower head. It is composed of many small ligulate flowers grouped into an inflorescence. The notched leaves form a basal rosette. The fruit is dry and equipped with bristles. The entire plant contains a bitter milky sap. It grows to a height of three to ten centimeters.

How did the Triglav hawksbeard get its name? In the late 18th century, a passionate naturalist and mountaineer named Balthasar Hacquet lived. He also explored the flora of our high mountains. In 1779, while ascending the scree toward Ledine, where the Planika mountain hut stands today, he picked an unknown flower. It resembled a dandelion so much that he classified it in the genus Leontodon and named it after Triglav. Later, it was determined to belong to the genus Crepis, but the original species name was retained.

In Slovenia, the Triglav hawksbeard is rare. It grows in the Julian Alps around Triglav and other peaks rising above the Vrata Valley.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Our Triglav flower also adorns the rough scree in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Germany. It is not common anywhere, but everyone knows that its birthplace is in the Triglav kingdom. For this reason, the Triglav hawksbeard is listed on the Red List of Slovenian plant species.