ex Gandin. Dense low cushions, 3-10cm across. Leaves narrowly oblong to spathulate, 4-10 by 1.5-3mm, loosely silky-white-hairy. Flowers 5-8mm across, intense blue with a yellow eye, in cymes of three to seven or more just above the leaves, summer. White flowered forms are known. Circumpolar and on mountains farther south, on granite, volcanic and limestone formations. E.n. subsp. jankae is more densely white-hairy with leaves 3-4.5mm wide and somewhat taller flowering stems. Carpathians only. E.n. subsp. jankae var. simonkaianum is more like E. nanum subsp. nanum, but occurs on limestone at only 1700m where conditions are drier and warmer. Plants from this population are a little more amenable to cultivation. Piatra Craiului Ridge only. E.n. var. elongatum is like subsp. jankae with peduncles to 6cm or more tall. Western U.S.A. in the higher mountains. [Pl.168]
