They're all special already...

... the plants and animals of Nardus grasslands, the Dry and wet heaths and the mountain hay meadows:

Arnica

Arnica (Arnica montana) - Arnica, also known as mountain lent, is a deciduous, aromatic-scented, perennial herbaceous plant. Even Hildegard von Bingen used arnica as a medicinal plant. However, the main cause of danger to this now very rare species is not so much the harvesting of flower baskets for the production of remedies, but rather the destruction of its habitat: the Nardus grasslands.

The herbaceous plant reaches growth heights of about 20 to 60 centimetres, the stem carries glandular hairs and is mainly single branched with usually one to two, rarely three opposite pairs of leaves. These are ovoid to lanceolate and with entire margins, have four to seven nerves and are hairy.

In Central Europe the yellow capitulum-shaped inflorescences shine from May to August. From August to October the arnica spreads through diasporas, which are spread as "umbrellas" with the wind, over the water or through animals.

From the valley to the high altitude, you can find the real arnica on acidic and lean meadows.

In the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Endangered Species, various information on the distribution area, ecology and endangerment can be found.

Bristle grass

Bristle grass (Nardus stricta) - grows in grey-green, board-like nests. The dense, firm clumps are enveloped by the yellowish leaves of the previous year. The stems are thin and rough under the ears. Bristle grass is sensitive to liming and fertilization. The grass indicates extensive grazing. It is eaten by cattle only when young. In summer, however, the grazing cattle pluck it, chew it and then spit it out.

The grass can grow between 10 and 30 centimetres high. The sheath of the leaves has a joint where the lower leaves bend horizontally outwards.

The "bristly grass" blooms inconspicuously from May to July. The spikelets, which are 7 to 15 millimetres long, are narrow, one-sided, slightly convex and initially bristly.

The persistent buds of Nardus are located on the surface of the earth (hemicryptophytes). The small, thick and hard foliage leaves are an adaptation to the nutrient deficiency of the poor locations where the grass prefers to grow.

Cat's paw

Common cat's paw (Antennaria dioica) - soft as cat's paws are underside of leaf and stem of the small plant.

Wart-biter

Wart-biter (Decticus verrucivorus) - the wart-biter, which belongs to the group of long-sufferers, was allowed to bite into warts and hoped for healing effects through the caustic digestive juices.