Saxifraga genus contains about 440 species and these are spread in mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. The Latin word Saxifraga comes from Latin words saxum what means “rock“ and fragus what means “to break“. The Slovak name “Lomikameň” then literally means “stone-breaker”. The Saxifrage species e is spread in the Alps and the West Carpathians. In the Carpathians we can find it only in one area that is part of Slovakia, in NAPANT (Low Tatras National Park). This area represents the northernmost isolated appearance of this species. This species is found in limestone rocks and screes in the range between 1,250 and 1,630 metres above sea level and it got to the Low Tatras  probably during the Ice Ages. The plant creates rosette of spatulate, 8 cm long leaves that have sulcate or serrated edge. From July to August a leaved, 40-cm-long floral stalk is made. The inflorescence is a narrow pyramidal panicle compound of numerous 2-cm-long flowers. Petals are lanceolate with reddish or orange colour. Leaf rosette is developing many years, but after becoming overblown it dies. Before being in flower it makes runners where daughter rosettes are creating. These are able to grow independently after the mother plant dies. This species is very rare in Slovakia and therefore it is protected by law and placed to the Red List of Endangered Plants in category of critically endangered species. Moreover, the number of plants in the only area in the West Carpathians is descending. A tourist footpath leads by this area, so part of this herbage is endangered by digging out because of its decorative value. However, the biggest problem is the influence of air pollution that comes from industrial parts of Slovakia that are brought by the wind.
                                                                                                                                                 Jaromír Kučera