Dyckia reitzii, the master of the clouds...

The older leaves atest this plant was shadowed.
Dyckias also extent their leaves in way to catch the light they need.
This effort leads to a deformed plant.
Now look at the new leaves, the leaves that were born in the full sun exposing period.

Dyckia reitzii
This is a master of the clouds. It lives up high in some of the highest South Brazilian mountains
This mountains tops are most of the time within the clouds.
The sun in blue skies days is tormenting that is why the plant is silver inmost of its parts, all the underleaves and the 2/3 of the lenght of the leaves.
When the sun is too much the plant lifts its leaves to reflect the scorching sun and protect its growing center of the crown.

Dyckia reitzii is a most desirable Dyckia.
Rarely seen in the WWW if ever a true one was seen.
It is also a small plant no bigger than a foot ball.
Blooms in one of the most striking Dyckia flowers.
Short flower stalks and dense deep red conspicuous flowers.
Produces big seeds and the plant is self fertile.
It is a plant protected by law in all its habitats and all its habitats are
within Federal Reserves.
Mine came from the same bunch of plants collected by Father Raulino Reitz himself
and Dr. Jones Caldas ( Dyckia jonesiana) in Campo dos Padres - Santa Catarina,
three decades ago. Also this is not a seedling but clones from divided heads.
This plant reproduces by seeds or crown division ( The hardest way to get new plants and also the most longstanding method.) The plant does not sprouts nor pups.