Bryant DeRoy both wrote and photographed for this entry. He writes:
This image of Saxifraga burseriana was taken in the E.H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden here at UBC Botanical Garden. Saxifraga burseriana is (unsurprisingly) a member of the saxifrage family, and is native to the Eastern Alps and the Dolomites, as well as some locales in the Tridentine Alps (Italy) and the Karawanks (Slovenia and Austria).
This is one of the earlier flowering species of Saxifraga, typically flowering in the late winter or early spring depending on location and altitude. This hardy mat-forming evergreen can be found at altitudes between 600 and 2500 meters in its native habitat. It can survive quite happily at even lower altitudes, making it a popular feature in rock gardens and well-drained troughs in temperate Mediterranean climates.
The flower stems typically reach lengths of 5 to 8 cm (2-3 in.) and the flowers can reach 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter. Due to its popularity among horticulturalists and some variability between individual plants, there is a long list of cultivars. More information on how to cultivate this beauty (and some of its relatives) can be found on Kew's site: Saxifraga burseriana.