Hieracium oligolepium
Local name: fåfjällig fibbla
Fåfjällig fibbla (Hieracium oligolepium) is a rare perennial hawkweed characterized by its distinctive sparse-scaled involucre and pale yellow flower heads that bloom in late summer. This specialized alpine plant forms small rosettes with deeply lobed leaves and plays a crucial role in high-altitude pollinator networks, supporting endemic butterfly and bee species in Scandinavian mountain ecosystems.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Hieracium
Hieracium oligolepium belongs to the family Asteraceae, order Asterales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Fåfjällig fibbla (Hieracium oligolepium) is a rare perennial hawkweed characterized by its distinctive sparse-scaled involucre and pale yellow flower heads that bloom in late summer. This specialized alpine plant forms small rosettes with deeply lobed leaves and plays a crucial role in high-altitude pollinator networks, supporting endemic butterfly and bee species in Scandinavian mountain ecosystems.
Hieracium oligolepium faces severe threats from habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urban development in its limited range. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns and temperature shifts that affect its specialized alpine and subalpine habitat requirements.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This species is restricted to exposed calcareous cliff faces and rocky crevices in subalpine and alpine zones between 1,200-1,800 meters elevation. It requires well-drained limestone substrates with minimal soil development, typically found on south-facing slopes with intermittent snow cover in the Scandinavian mountain ranges.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Hieracium oligolepium faces severe threats from habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urban development in its limited range. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns and temperature shifts that affect its specialized alpine and subalpine habitat requirements.
Agricultural intensification
Climate change impacts
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Invasive species competition
Small population size and genetic bottlenecks
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Hieracium oligolepium (Hieracium oligolepium). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/fafjallig-fibbla