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Perennial of the Apiaceae family, native to the high mountains of South America, mainly the Andes of Chile and Argentina, where it grows on scree, high-altitude rocky areas, and exposed stony slopes, at high altitudes.
It forms a low and spreading rosette, staying close to the ground, 5 to 10 cm in height outside of flowering. It is above all a plant with remarkable foliage in its family. The leaves are finely cut, bipinnate to tripinnate, with very small and dense leaflets, medium green on the upper side and covered with a silky silvery to whitish indumentum on the underside, giving them a characteristic metallic sheen, particularly visible when the low light strikes the plant. The petioles persist after the death of the blades and give the base of the rosette a distinct fibrous texture.
The flowers are small, white, gathered in simple umbels carried by short peduncles, discreet compared to the foliage. In its natural environment, flowering occurs in the austral summer. In cultivation under our latitudes, it generally blooms in June-July, but the main interest of the species lies in the exceptional texture and cut of its silvery foliage.
It requires perfect drainage, a poor mineral substrate, full sun, and protection against stagnant winter moisture. Its cultivation in a pot or alpine trough under cold glass is often preferable in Atlantic climates. It remains rare in cultivation and is a curiosity sought after by alpine plant collectors.