Copiapoa leonensis (Cactus)

This species takes its name from Quebrada el León, a Chilean area in which the exemplar is abundantly present, very similar to Copiapoa humilis, from which it distinguishes mainly for its more turgid and resistant body. It is a wonderful miniature cactaceae, formed by globose stem not exceeding a few centimetres of diameter and is equipped with strongly protruding rhomboid tubercles, at the centre of which protrude small roundish white areoles. It has thin and needle-like radial spines, extremely thin and almost microscopic, accompanied by equally short central spines slightly more robust and dark. As typical of most species of Copiapoa, its epidermis is easily dyed purple even very dark when exposed to the sun, which create a wonderful chromatic contrast with the large delicate flowers that bloom at the apex on the notes of a pale yellow, pleasantly shaded of reddish on the tips of the petals.