Argentina & Chile November 2008 Day 6-Taltal - Antofagasta 300km

[Mike P]

As we moved further up the valley there started to appear a variety of other plants including a Eulychnias.....
[attachment 16718 ccc1.jpg]

[Mike P]

[attachment 16719 cccc1.jpg]
This I have noted as Copiapoa albispina but reference to Graham Charles' book leads to C. cinerea var gigantea as its name.

[Mike P]

There were also the odd clump of Cumulopuntia berteri / sphaerica.
[attachment 16720 ccccc1.jpg]

[Mike P]

There was also this rather pretty little plant growing amongst the rocks.
[attachment 16721 cccccc1.jpg]

[Benjy]

Hi Mike,

I would leave the Copiapoa labelled as San Ramon 'albispina'.

This better distinguishes it from the plants (giganteas) growing along the coast
north of Taltal, from which they differ immensely.

Benjy

[David_L]

There was considerable variation in the colour and length of the spines on Copiapoa cinerea in the Valle San Ramon. This is a particularly long spined and attractive form of 'albispina'. BTW I think the Eulychnias in the valley are Eulychnia iquiquensis.


[attachment 16722 Copiapoa_cinerea_albispina2.jpg]

[David_L]

There were also some Eriosyce (Neoporteria) with the Copiapoa cinerea at this point in the valley. They looked pretty dehydrated, some almost to the point of no return.


[attachment 16723 Eriosyce_taltalensis.jpg]

This is Eriosyce (Neoporteria) taltalensis in one of its many forms.

[David_L]

A closer view.

[attachment 16724 Eriosyce_taltalensis2.jpg]

[David_L]

Spines on these plants were also very variable. This one had particularly impressive spines and looked a bit more alive than some.

[attachment 16725 Eriosyce_taltalensis4.jpg]

[David_L]

After route marching another 2-3km we finally arrived at the spot we were aiming for. Here there were two species of Copiapoa growing as well as more Eulychnia iquiquensis. The Copiapoa growing lower down the slope here and more immediately accesible was I think what is now called Copiapoa rupestris 'San Ramon form'. This was a low growing clumping plant with variable spine colour from greyish to a bright gingery orange. This is a plant with less brightly coloured spines. I'm sure Benjy will be able to help if I've got this ID wrong.


[attachment 16734 Copiapoa_rupestris.jpg]