Life history and morphology
Dolomitic-limestone outcrops pine forests of eastern Austria support local populations of A. lyrata ssp. petraea
A. lyrata is a pioneer species of disturbed habitats where there is little vegetative competition.
A. lyrata grows in
- humid rocky places on coastal and mountain cliff faces
- riverbed shingles
- metal-rich rocky outcrops
- man-made structures, such as castle walls
The plant has a simple rosette growth form, and may reproduce vegetatively via stolons, or sexually via insect pollination of the white-pinkish flowers, resulting in numerous small seeds.
The plant can complete its life-cycle in a single season, but is normally a short-lived perennial.