Stem, root and areoles
The mature, flowering stems studied by Barthlott and Porembski were 5–20 mm in diameter, usually about 10 mm. The body is flattened or low-globose and becomes a thin disc when dehydrated. The thickened taproot can reach 3–5 cm in length. Branching produces clusters. The authors described clumps more than 15 cm in diameter with up to 150 stems. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, p. 161–163]
Spirals of small areoles cross the smooth surface. Spines and distinct ribs are absent, while hairs accumulate in the sunken apex. Cortical parenchyma occupies much of the stem cross-section. The epidermis has thin walls and a thin cuticle, and lacks the typical strengthening collenchymatous hypodermis beneath it. Xylem elements are short and narrow, with spiral thickenings. This arrangement allows the tissues to change volume as water is lost and regained. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, pp. 163–165]
Siedliska andyjskie
The range includes south-central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. The 1996 account describes sites at elevations of about 750–3400 m above sea level, most often 1200–2000 m. The plants occupy rock crevices containing small amounts of fine substrate, often on vertical, shaded surfaces. Gorge walls, a south-facing aspect and nearby bromeliads can provide shelter. [2-WWW] [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, p. 161–162]
The small stem benefits from places where direct radiation is limited and water can remain in a crevice. At this scale, the microenvironment beside the rock matters. The overall elevation of a site describes only part of the conditions in which the plant functions. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, p. 162–165]
Dehydration and photosynthesis
Mean stomatal density was about 0.6 mm⁻². Distribution is uneven, with concentrations in hair-sheltered depressions in the areoles. Carbon isotope composition, δ¹³C of about −15.92‰, indicated a contribution of CAM metabolism to carbon fixation. The isotope measurement integrates the plant's earlier activity, while the daily pattern of gas exchange requires separate measurements. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, pp. 163–164]
During prolonged drying, plant mass fell to about 18% of its initial value. Watering was followed by a substantial increase in mass, recovery of volume and greening of the stems. This is an example of tolerance of severe dehydration. The figure refers to the mass of the entire plant studied relative to the start of the experiment. The course of the study and the time required for rehydration are described in a separate physiology article. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, pp. 164–165]
Flowers, seeds and dispersal
Small, whitish to yellowish flowers develop near the apex and reach about 10 mm in diameter. In cultivation, the authors obtained seeds without external pollination, which they considered evidence of self-pollination. They recorded no visits by pollinators in the populations observed. The scope of these observations leaves the frequency of cross-pollination across the species' wider range unresolved. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, pp. 163–165]
The fruit is small and red, and its wall becomes papery as it ripens. The seeds have a hairy coat and a distinct appendage that attracts ants. In the experiment, ants carried whole seeds, but after the appendage was detached they took only the appendage. This result indicates its role in myrmecochory, or dispersal by ants. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996, p. 163–166]
Propagation in tissue culture
Ivannikov and colleagues obtained regenerating material from fragments of sterile seedlings. In B. liliputana (spelled B. liliputiana in the paper's title), new shoots formed through callus, tissue developing from the explant. Media containing the cytokinin BAP and its combination with 2,4-D were tested. Callus development depended on light, and subsequent stages involved shoot regeneration and rooting or grafting. [Ivannikov et al. 2022, pp. 1–4]
For cultivation on its own roots, the habitat indicates the importance of shelter for the small stem and an aerated root crevice. Studies of dehydration tolerance explain drought survival, while the in vitro experiment describes a separate method of propagation in controlled culture. Details of these cultures are compared in the article on regeneration in Blossfeldia and Copiapoa. [Barthlott and Porembski 1996] [Ivannikov et al. 2022]
Synonyms and names in the literature
Parodia liliputana · Blossfeldia atroviridis · Blossfeldia campaniflora · Blossfeldia fechseri · Blossfeldia minima · Blossfeldia pedicellata [2-WWW]