Xerophyte

Habit

Usually one or two headed, occasionally whit more heads

Central Spines

1-3 slightly thicker, spreading away from the body, becoming dark gray with time. On older areoles, some spines missing. Copiapoa leonensisSN|9809]]SN|9809]] growing at higher altitudes shows the strongest spination.

Seeds

1 mm long and 0.7 mm wide, black and shiny.

Description

Copiapoa leonensisSN|9809]]SN|9809]] is the local or morphological form of the very variable Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]] from Quebrada el León, Chile (Atacama Region). It is distinguished from the type C. humilis from Paposo for its more firm body and root system (usually quite soft in typical C. humilis). Flowers yellow-orangish. Spines long and stout.

Roots

Napiform, strong, large up to 150 mm long and 30 mm wide with a narrow neck.

Flowers

1 to 2 at a time from the woolly apex, 20 to 30 mm long, diurnal, closing at night, fragrant, protracting the period of opening many days, funnel-shaped. Outer perianth segments, green, turning yellow at the base, the end is brownish red. Tepals up to 12 mm long and 3 mm wide, rounded at the end. The edge of the outer petals brownish. Ovary circular 3 mm in diameter. Stylelight yellow 13 mm long. Stigma slightly darker with 7-9 lobes. Stamens parallel, inner ones about 9 mm long and the outer 4 mm long.

Blooming Season

Spring.

Ribs

11-16, about 8 mm thick and 40-50 mm long, dull, young plants have spiralling tubercles (not arranged in ribs), but the ribs are clearly visible in mature plants.

Stem

Hard to the touch, 55 mm in diameter (35 to 80 mm) spherical or, sometimes, slightly elongated, grey-green turning pinkish if exposed to direct sunlight. The apex is flat and woolly.

Radial Spines

8-10, straight, needle-like, 50-130 mm long, porrect and radiating in all directions.

Fruits

Globular, 5-6 mm in diameter, green.

Areoles

20-30 mm in diameter, woolly when young, later glabrous, slightly depressed 30-80 mm apart.