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A perennial from the Saxifragaceae family, this subspecies is a strict endemic of the western Pyrenees, with its distribution area centered on the Iraty massif and the surrounding limestone reliefs, straddling the French-Spanish border. It occupies the crevices and fissures of limestone rocks, between approximately 1,600 and 2,400 meters.
It is distinguished from the type subspecies by an even more condensed habit and particularly tight rosettes, forming very compact hemispherical cushions, precisely nestled in the rock joints. The leaves are short, spatulate to slightly lobed, noticeably less dissected than in subsp. pubescens, and densely covered with short glandular hairs that give them a velvety and slightly shiny appearance under low-angle light.
The flowers are white, with rounded petals, borne on short reddish and hairy stems above the cushion. The flowering is discreet by the number of flowers simultaneously open, but regular over the entire tuft.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to August depending on altitude and exposure.
In cultivation, it requires a very well-drained limestone substrate, in full exposure, with protection against excessive winter moisture, ideally under cold glass or in a covered trough. Its very dense cushion habit makes it a sought-after plant, but it requires some care to maintain the compactness of its rosettes outside its original habitat.