One disadvantage of
staying in 'a posh hotel' is that there seems to be less flexibility
concerning the earliest breakfast available, so a bit later than hoped for, we
were back on Ruta 5, heading north. After 30 km we saw low mounds of
what could only be Copiapoa, right alongside the road! At the first
available pull off we stopped (S115) to feast on clumps of Copiapoa
coquimbana, a highly variable taxon that needs a good deal more study.
Shrubs of Oxalis
gigantea were in leaf, indicating that there must have been some recent
moisture available. The Copiapoa were in excellent shape with a range from
seedlings to mature clumps in evidence. Some plants were in flower but most
heads had their apex hidden by flower remains, hinting at the presence of
fruits. We were not disappointed and Benjy showed us how to go about
harvesting.
The recent moisture had
also woken up some of the shrubs and Senna cumingii was showing off its
yellow flowers.
On we went and after the
climbing 'the bends' north of La Higuera, we made another stop (S116).
Again, we found Copiapoa coquimbana alongside the now familiar ceroids
and opuntiods, but the new kid on the block was Miqueliopuntia miquelii,
both in bud and in fruit, but sadly not in flower.
We decided on a change
of plan and instead of aiming for Vallenar to spend the night we made for
Huasco and made a stop (S117) west of Freirina on the way. Here we
found Copiapoa fiedleriana and Eriosyce napina subsp. lembckei var.
lembckei (syn. Neochilenia lembckei). Throughout our trip we kept
referring to these cryptic plants, often invisible below the soil, as
Thelocephala, as we all knew what we meant by that name. One plant was
duly dug up, so that we could see for ourselves the massive tap root that
gives the plant its name 'napina'.
On to Huasco where,
close to our 2001 stop S024, we were once again amazed to find cacti
covered under a thick layer of coal / ore dust from the nearby docks (S118).
I have never encountered the advice to 'cover your plants under coal dust
until they take on a permanently black appearance' in any text book concerned
with cactus cultivation - may be I should remedy this omission, as the plants
certainly did not seem to mind. We found Copiapoa fiedleriana, Eriosyce
crispa (in flower), E. napina subsp. lembckei var. duripulpa
and the usual 'sp.' of Eulychnia and Echinopsis (Trichocereus) -
even more difficult to identify under their black coating and with spines worn
off by wind and dust.
Satisfied with today's
finds, we looked for accommodation, which we found at the Hosteria Huasco,
where the owner, rather nervously asked if we were Americans and seemed to be
relieved that we were Europeans. Next, where to eat? Everything seemed
closed, except for a bar across the road, but our landlord warned us not to go
there and instead arranged for another restaurant opposite to be opened
especially for us. We all had Lomo a lo Pobre (beef with fried eggs and papas
fritas), washed down in the usual way. They had even brought in a singer /
guitarist who played what sounded like Chilean pop / folk songs.
After the meal we
stretched our legs and passed an artisan craft shop, just about to close for
the day. It was difficult to understand how these people could earn a living,
because even during the height of the tourist season, it seemed difficult to
imagine the streets filled with shoppers. However, eight cactophiles who had
so far put plants before shopping, seemed enough to persuade the shopkeeper to
delay her return home, by which time I believe we had bought most of the
pottery items and a good few assorted goodies on top! I bet they are
still talking about the day the English came to town.
Tomorrow we we'll see
the first 'white' Copiapoas!
