Argentina & Chile -- November 2008 -- Day 12-- JuJuy to Cachi --350km

[Mike P]

Paul
I have Trichocereus smrzianus for this shot. Maybe David can confirm.

[David_L]

I also have Trichocereus smrzianus for your plant and also this plant. I'll post another Trichocereus picture from this locality that I'm not sure about.

[attachment 21070 Trichocereus_smrzianus.jpg]

[David_L]

Trichocereus smrzianus?

[attachment 21072 Trichocereus_smrzianus3.jpg]

[Mike P]

That one I have as smrzianus as well.

[Paul in Essex]

Ok, fantastic, guys - thanks! And also thanks for the wider view shots - a nice fat clumper.

One for the wishlist!

[David_L]

The scenery at this location was truely spectacular and Mike is not exaggerating when he says we took our life in our hand squeezing round the end of a sheep fence with a sheer and very long drop on the other side, to get into this meadow. This is what we would have gone down intio if we had missed our footing.

[attachment 21073 scenery3.jpg]

[David_L]

There was low cloud and the air had a damp feel, very much like an alpine meadow. Apart from the Lupin leaves that Mike has shown, there were several other attractive wild flowers.

[attachment 21074 wildflower.jpg]

[David_L]

Interestingly the Austrocylindropuntia was only found on the roadside verge and not in the meadow. It looked as though it was very prone to being browsed off by sheep/goats/llama.

[attachment 21075 austrocylindropunt_versch2.jpg]

[David_L]

The Rebutia nigricans was not the most exciting looking plant and I would have liked to have seen it in flower.

[attachment 21076 Rebutia_nigricans.jpg]

[David_L]

While we were walking about on the meadow we were being watched from above!

[attachment 21077 andean_condor.jpg]

Yes, a pair of Andean condors again, giving fine views in the binoculars.