The plant has purple-red flowers, and it is usually associated with the gall flies Ensina sonchi and Acidia cognata.

The leaves are all basal, long-stalked, leathery, coarse and glossy dark green, the underside is lighter.

Homogyne alpina grows in the mountains of South Central Europe at altitudes from 500 to 3 000 meters.

The species grows on moist, humus-rich, mossy soil in coniferous forests, bushes and dwarf-shrub heath.

[3] The felt-like Homogyne discolor is characterized by the under side white, felty leaves.