Authors: Arn.  

Botanical Description

Similar in foliage characteristics to C. brachylepis but 5-10cm tall and with more evenly spread cauline leaves l-3cm long, the same shape as those on the stem. Involucre is smaller, 9-12mm across and 1-1.2cm deep, the bracts much narrower, but otherwise identical. C,c. var. argentea is exceptionally dwarf and neat, its leaves tightly plated with adpressed silver hairs, the other varieties being more laxly pubescent: C.c. var. chilensis and var. involucrata are 8-20cm tall. The latter has distinctive bracts, the outers winged and membranous at the borders, the inners expanded at the apex into an appendage and with reduced black markings. Central and southern Chile in dryish herbfields at 500-2500m. C.c. var. tenuifolia shares this distribution but also occurs in Argentina on the Uspallata Pass at 3000m. Unlike the other varieties, it has rather weak and flopping stems and exceptionally thin, pointed stem leaves. Farther south in Chile and at low altitudes may be found the woolly C. valdiviana with stout, erect stems at 20-30cm pointed, black-tipped bracts and large handsome solitary heads, their ray-florets 1.5cm long. All these are yellow-flowered.