Authors: Arn.
A tiny, ball-like annual, extremely silvery-white-woolly, from a solitary, long, thread-like root (which may be extended into a sparsely leafy stem where growing up through the scree). Branching is obscured within the ground-hugging ball, 2.5-4cm in diameter, of tightly packed foliage. Leaves 8.5-10mm long, their basal three quarters narrowly linear as a pseudo-petiole, the upper quarter forming a broad spathulate blade with a pointed tip. Involucre sessile, solitary or in twos or threes, 8mm across, daisy-like, the white ray florets with a rich crimson-scarlet reverse spreading over the surface of the 'ball'. Chile and Argentina, in the central cordilleras in dusty soil pans on ridge crests, stony tracts clear of larger vegetation or in screes at 2000-3600m. [Pl.103]
