Matucana aureiflora aka Submatucana Aureiflora

Matucana aureiflora is a small cactus in the Cactaceae family. It comes from Peru, near the city of Cajamarca. Kew calls it a succulent subshrub from tropical mountains. It grows high in valleys between the Andes. Its known range spans about 20 square kilometres at one site. It has two other names: Borzicactus aureiflorus and Submatucana aureiflora.

The stem forms a low ball, at times flat on top. It grows about 0.33 feet [0.10 metres] tall. Its width reaches 0.39 feet [0.12 metres] or more. A taproot grows below the small, tight stem. The spines bend inward in a comb-like pattern, called pectinate. They look like glass, with yellow to amber tones. Their bases are brown. Young growth has a small scale leaf below each areole. These young leaves stay in view near the stem tip.

The flowers range from yellow to gold. They bloom in waves through spring and summer. The bloom season is not just one short spell. Each flower is about 0.16 feet [0.05 metres] long. Each spans 0.10–0.13 feet [0.03–0.04 metres] in width. The blooms stay open in both day and night. The gold blooms and curved spines give the plant its main appeal. The sources give no facts about its fruit or food uses. Nor do they show whether it is toxic or safe.

To grow it, use rich soil with pores that let water drain. Let the soil dry out before you water again. Use a deep pot with room for the taproot. Repot in spring once the roots fill their space. Fresh soil may help every two years, with no larger pot. Wait at least a week to water after you repot. Some direct sun helps bring out the spine colour. Avoid harsh sun, though. LLIFLE advises a minimum of 10°C. It says the plant may live through light frost. This does not mean you can count on frost hardiness.

Growth is slow in the wild but faster in a greenhouse. Growers can raise new plants from seed. The wild plants face a worse threat than problems with care. City growth and farms shrink their range, which is small to start with. LLIFLE says wild plant numbers are in decline. It reports no reserves that protect them. Its account cites a Red List rating of Critically Endangered.