
Espeletia grandiflora - leaf closeup, La Cocha Páramo, Colombia
Definitely an Espeletia, and presumable a young Espeletia grandiflora. Locally nicknamed as "water thieves" for "stealing" water from the moist air. Which really should be seen as a service, as it returns part of this water to the soil, which ultimately leads to the formation of lakes, and then rivers. Perhaps, in part you could say that the Amazon starts with this plant, even if for a small part.

Espeletia grandiflora is a perennial subshrub in the sunflower family. The plant lives at high altitudes in páramo ecosystems. The trunk is thick, with succulent hairy leaves disposed in a dense spiral pattern. Marcescent leaves help protect the plants from cold. The flowers are usually yellow, similar to daisies.