Euphrasia salisburgensis

It has a pan-European distribution occurring widely in base-rich sub-alpine areas. The variety hibernica Pugsley has been known in Ireland since the late nineteenth century^[1] where it occurs on limestone rocks and sand dunes. It is distinct from the other Irish members of the genus in that it has a glabrous capsule, normally red-brown or bronze coloured foliage and un-contiguous leaf teeth.^[2] The subspecies E. s. subsp. schoenicola is endemic to Gotland.^[3]

As with other Euphrasia species E. salisburgensis is a hemiparasite. Webb & Scannell in their flora of the Burren^[4] found that it was closely associated with Thymus praecox and suggest that it may be a specific hemiparasite of this species. The subspecies E. s. subsp. schoenicola is instead thought to be a specific hemiparasite of the sedge Schoenus ferrugineus.^[3]