Xerophyte

Small in stature, but big in interest, Blossfeldia is a single-species genus that is the smallest of all cacti maxing out at 1/2 inch (12mm) in diameter. The species name of liliputana attests to its small stature as it is derived from the island Lilliput from the novel Gulliver's Travels where all the people where tiny. These plants may grow as solitary little buttons or form many-stemmed clumps. They do not have ribs, tubercles, or spines.Flowers are white, delicate, and may slightly exceed the diameter of the entire stem.Blossfeldia grows on the eastern side of the Andes mountains in Bolivia and Argentina from 4,000 to almost 12,000 feet in elevation. In this harsh environment, this remarkable species can survive extreme drying out.