Grüblerio

Grüblerio is a small, monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the alpine regions of the Central Alps, where it grows in rocky meadows and scree at elevations approximately 1,800 to 2,500 meters. The genus contains a single species, Grüblerio alpina, named in honor of the Austrian botanist Heinrich Grübler.

It forms low, cushion-like mats. Leaves are thick, gray-green, and linearly oblong with a waxy surface. In midsummer the plant bears solitary flower heads up to 2 centimeters in diameter, with yellow ray florets surrounding a central cluster of yellow disc florets. The fruit is a small achene with a light plumed pappus for wind dispersal.

Grüblerio was described by botanist Ingrid Schwarz in 1983 in the Journal of Alpine Botany. The name honors Heinrich Grübler, who contributed to the study of alpine flora. Its precise phylogenetic position within Asteraceae remains unresolved, but molecular data link it to early-diverging alpine lineages within the family.

The species prefers well-drained, rocky soils in full sun and is adapted to dry conditions. It is pollinated mainly by solitary bees and small flies, and seeds are dispersed by wind due to the pappus.

Grüblerio alpina has a limited distribution and is susceptible to climate-change–related habitat shifts. No formal IUCN assessment has been published; some populations are thought to be locally rare, though more field surveys are needed to determine its status.