Elavulóa

Elavulóa is a genus of small, herbaceous flowering plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. The name was first published in 1878 by Austrian botanist Karl Friedrich Schultze in his catalogue of Alpine flora. The genus is monotypic, containing only a single species, elavulóa alpestris, which is endemic to high alpine zones of the Central European Alps, particularly in the eastern Pennine Alps and the western Tyrol. Elavulóa alpestris grows at elevations between 2000 and 2800 meters, on rocky screes and limestone outcrops. The plant forms low, mat‑forming clumps with deeply lobed, light green leaves and small, tubular pink to mauve flowers that open in early summer. The species is pollinated by a variety of mountain bees and the small alpine isobut. It reproduces both by seed and vegetatively through stolons. The plant's conservation status is listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, though its restricted habitat makes it susceptible to climate change, which may reduce snow cover and alter soil moisture regimes. Elavulóa alpestris has been used in traditional Alpine folk medicine to treat minor skin irritations, although there are no contemporary clinical studies validating its efficacy. Botanical illustrations in the 19 th‑century Alpine Flora volumes depict the plant’s characteristic compact rosettes and subtle pubescence. The genus remains of interest to botanists studying speciation and adaptation to harsh alpine environments.