Edelweiss. Republic of Dagestan

Edelweiss, or Leontopodium, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant, 12-25 cm high, of the aster family, widespread in the high mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. The scientific Latin name Leontopodium can be translated from Greek as "lion's paw", which is what the appearance of the inflorescence resembles. But the Russian word "edelweiss" is a transliteration from German and means "noble white".

In his monograph "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants of Dagestan" Candidate of Biological Sciences, Professor Shamil Huseynov described in detail this amazing flower, which is a symbol of courage and bravery, as well as pure selfless love among highland peoples. Shamil Abdulkasumovich was awarded the title "Merited Worker of Higher School of the Republic of Dagestan" for his contribution to the study of plants of the region.

Surprisingly, the mysterious edelweiss is actually from the same family as the well-known sunflower and chamomile. The flower most resembles a silver or snow star: pointed short petals alternate with longer ones, and tiny hairs give them a velvety sheen.

The main award for mountaineers — the Order of Edelweiss — is named in honor of this flower. Order of I degree was awarded to a little more than a hundred daring people. After all, to climb two kilometers and higher above sea level, touch Edelweiss and return alive and unharmed is a great luck. In the Middle Ages, a young man who presented a white flower to his beloved was always reciprocated. After all, such a gift was the best proof of love, as well as courage and agility of the young man.

And also, this flower symbolizes tenacity. Thanks to its strong stem, edelweiss rises, even if it is trampled. In addition, the plant is able to fully absorb ultraviolet rays without affecting photosynthesis. This is why edelweiss extract can be found in the composition of sunscreen.

Edelweiss is the main subject of many legends, poems and songs. In Dagestan there is a legend dedicated to the origin of edelweiss. Once a disaster came to a mountain village: a monster appeared on the snowy peaks and people began to disappear. The elders managed to come to an agreement with the monster so that he would not touch the inhabitants. But in return they sent him a tribute every year — the most beautiful girl of the village.

Several years passed, and the local boy and girl, who loved each other, decided to get married. But the girl was so beautiful that she was chosen to be sacrificed to the monster. The groom couldn't let that happen and went to battle. The bride waited for him on the bank of a mountain river and after a few days she saw drops of blood in the clear water. The girl decided that it was the blood of her beloved and went to his aid. On the highest peak, the girl saw a slain monster and a wounded beloved. She took him under her arms and helped him down. Beautiful white flowers grew on the mountain slopes where the girl's tears and the young man's blood dripped. They were named in honor of the sweethearts whose love and courage had saved the village from the monster. The girl's name was Edel and the boy's name was Uweis.