Leontochir ovallei

Endemic to the Atacama coast of Chile, between Copiapó and Huasco, where it appears only after rainy years during the desierto florido, Leontochir ovallei ('garra de león', lion's claw) is a perennial of the Alstroemeriaceae with a tuberous rhizome. Its thick, succulent, trailing stems bear shiny oval leaves twisted at the base and all turned to one side, reaching nearly 2 m in length. The globose inflorescence gathers bell-shaped flowers with bright red, spatulate tepals marked with a dark spot at the base. It grows in full sun on rocky or alluvial soils moistened by coastal fog, remaining dormant outside the rainy season.