It is the smallest of the Copiapoa's and a very attractive clustering variety with lots of small heads when mature. It is easily identified just by its small size, brown soft stems, minute spines, large yellow flower and large  tuberous root.

Family: Cactaceae 

Scientific name:  Copiapoa laui Diers 1980
Original Description Published in: Kakteen und anderen Sukkulenten, 31(12):362
Forma cristata

NOTE: The species name is frequently misspelled 'lauii' .

Origin:  Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  

• Copiapoa hypogaea  var. lauii (Diers) A. Hoffmann comb.nov. 1989
  Published in: Cactaceas en la flora silvestre de Chile: 102-107  (1989)

Copiapoa lauii FK 439 Esmeralda Guanillos, Chile
It is the smallest of the Copiapoa's and a very attractive clustering variety with lots of small heads when mature. It is easily identified just by its small size, brown soft stems, minute spines, large yellow flower and large  tuberous root. It is the only Copiapoa where the side branches form their own roots.

  Description: Miniature Copiapoa, clustering, partially underground, single stem circa 1cm (rarely 3 cm) across, 1 to 1.5 cm high clear grey to red-brown-grey, sometimes greenish. Top sunken: covered with whitish wool.
Ribs: 15 to 20 with small tubercles in vertical rows.
Spines: whitish to yellowish, occasionally 1 central spine; 4 to 7 insignificant radials
Flower: yellow with reddish petal tips, short, wide funnel-shaped.
Fruit: globular, 3-5 mm across, greenish-brown with shiny black seeds;
Roots: large turnip-like.

Cultivation: Need full sun to part sun, should be protected from excessive heat and sun in summer. Needs deeper pot and excellent drainage to accommodate the tap root.

Photo and © copyright by Robert Maijer (Holland)
Forma cristata

C. lauii at anthesis  This species start flowering when still very small.