Xerophyte

Habit

Plants strongly branched basally, forming imposing mounds up to 1 m tall and more than 2 m wide.

Central Spines

1, sometimes absent, stouter 2 to 5 cm long.

Seeds

Black.

Description

Copiapoa malletiana (syn

Flowers

Apical pale yellow, scentless, 2,8-3,5 cm long.

Blooming Season

Summer. It is not unusual for copiapoa to take 6-10 years before it starts blooming, but once it does, it should every year.

Spines

1-8 (rarely 0), stout, straight, stiff, needle-like, black to light brown, becoming greyish white as they ages.

Ribs

(15-)21-33 more higher and acute than in Copiapoa cinereaSN|1322]]SN|1380]], slightly tuberculate and narrow between the areoles.

Stem

Individual head, globose to short cylindrical, 6 to 16 cm in diameter, apex wool-covered. Epidermis grey, covered greyish-white waxy film, but not so white like in Copiapoa cinereaSN|1320]]SN|1380]].

Radial Spines

1-7, up to 1 cm long,

Fruits

Reddish green rounded, with few scales.

Areoles

Large oval, 5-9 mm in diameter, widely separated (1-2,5 cm apart) and covered with yellowish-grey felt.