Morphological Stability and Physiological Performance of Leontopodium alpinum Cass. Under Ex Situ Conditions

Leontopodium alpinum is a globally protected species and a valuable resource for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This study aimed to evaluate the propagation of edelweiss through ex situ culture, analyzing its morphological and physiological performance under controlled conditions. The morphological and physiological evaluation was carried out by conducting a single-factor experimental design in a controlled environment. A statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test (α = 0.05) and Pearson Correlation was performed. There were significant differences between three repetitions of the same cultivar for total leaf number, leaf size category distribution and inflorescence diameter. The correlations between morphological indicators revealed a strong positive correlation between plant width, plant volume, number of inflorescences per stem, and collar diameter on the one hand and between length of the floral stem and number/length of roots on the other. The physiological indicators (estimated transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate, photosynthetic pigments) suggested a conservative functional and photosynthetic pigment profile. The species’ ability to maintain structural and physiological integrity under controlled conditions reinforces the value of ex situ cultivation as a complementary conservation tool for endangered species and provides a solid basis for valorization programs in commercial crops.