What is "leontopodium"

Leontopodium \Leontopodium\ n. A genus of plants including the edelweiss ( Leontopodium alpinum).

Syn: genus Leontopodium.

Leontopodium is a genus of plants in the daisy or sunflower family The genus is native to Europe and Asia. The fuzzy and somewhat stocky "petals" (technically, bracts) could be thought of as somewhat resembling lions' paws —hence the genus name combining léōn (lion) and pódion (foot).

The genus includes edelweiss ( L. alpinum), a well-known plant from the mountains of Europe. The term edelweiss can, more rarely, refer to other members of the genus. The plant has been regarded as a national symbol of Austria, worn as a cap emblem by Austrian troops and displayed on Austrian coins. A song about the plant, written by Oscar Hammerstein, was featured in the musical production The Sound of Music.