Argentina & Chile -- November 2008 -- Day 13-- Cachi to Cafayate--170km

[David_L]

Another very nice Gymnocalycium spegazzinii from this stop.


[attachment 22054 Gymno_spegazzinii2.jpg]

[David_L]

A habitat shot showing Acanthocalycium thionanthum and Gymnocalycium spegazzinii clustering at the base of dry thorny scrub for protection.


[attachment 22055 habitat_shot.jpg]

[David_L]

Then it was back in the van for another hour and a half or so before the last cactus stop of the day. I have this stop down as San Carlos. This is what the habitat was like here.

[attachment 22056 scenery.jpg]

[David_L]

This looks familiar. Jatropha sp.?

[attachment 22057 jatropha.jpg]

[David_L]

A seedling of the same plant.

[attachment 22058 jatropha2.jpg]

[David_L]

Again it was very noticeable how plants clustered at the base of protecting shrubs, often close together. There were a couple of diffent species at this site. One can be seen here. With Acanthocalycium thionanthum is Parodia horrida aka Parodia microsperma ssp. horrida. These were superbly spined plants and I was much taken with them.

[attachment 22059 micro_habitat2.jpg]

[David_L]

Those Parodia horridas were great. I don't recall we saw them anywhere else so lets make the most of them.

[attachment 22060 Parodia_horrida.jpg]

[David_L]

They loked lovely with the gray granite background.


[attachment 22061 Parodia_horrida2.jpg]

[David_L]

Go on then, just one more . View from above, some nice new wool in the apex.

[attachment 22062 Parodia_horrida3.jpg]

[David_L]

Some of the plants were getting very cosy with one another. Here is Acanthocalycium thionanthum with Gymnocalycium spegazzinii.

[attachment 22063 side_by_side.jpg]