The Collaborative International Dictionary
Leontopodium \Leontopodium\ n. A genus of plants including the edelweiss ( Leontopodium alpinum).
Syn: genus Leontopodium.
Edelweiss \E"del*weiss\, n. [G., fr. edel noble + weiss white.] (Bot.) A little, perennial, white, woolly plant ( Leontopodium alpinum), growing at high elevations in the Alps. It is the national flower of Austria.
Wikipedia
Leontopodium alpinum, commonly called edelweiss (English pronunciation ), is a well-known mountain flower, belonging to the Asteraceae (the daisy or sunflower family).
The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is non-toxic, and has been used traditionally in folk medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. The dense hair appears to be an adaptation to high altitudes, protecting the plant from cold, aridity and ultraviolet radiation. As a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas, the plant has been used as a symbol for alpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians, and as a national symbol especially of Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Romania. According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.