Alvaralto
(S605) is a magic place. When Ingrid & Ricardo moved in, many years
ago, it was just a part of a hillside on the edge of the Parque
Nacional La Campana. Since then, they have planted many fruit trees
that generate some extra income. But the high point for me is the
cactus garden, partly covered, more to be able to control the amount
of water that the plants get than to control temperatures. There are
some huge boulders that came free with the hillside and which have
been used to great affect to create a garden with a natural feel.
There are many mature Chilean cacti, most of
which we had seen during the previous weeks, but here we were able to
see the potential of these plants in more favourable conditions than
those that nature provides back in habitat. The first thing that
struck me was how much larger the Copiapoa flowers were on all
species currently in bloom. Most would easily equal or exceed the 3 -
5.5 cm diameter of Ritter's Copiapoa grandiflora description. I
believe that flower size in Copiapoa is rather over rated as a
diagnostic tool and here was proof that environmental conditions have
probably more to contribute than the genetic make up of a species.
It is interesting to note that Friedrich
Ritter used to live in nearby Granizo, where identical climatic
conditions prevail. Many of the Copiapoa pictures in his
Kakteen in Sudamerika are staged habitat-studio shots, and if taken by
Ritter at home, than the plants would have experienced very similar
conditions to those seen here.
But the flora in this garden was by no means
limited to Chilean cacti - most of the genera found in European
collections were represented, with some marvellous Echinocereus
in flower, about a month before Christmas, challenging my brain. I
seemed to struggle with seeing these plants in bloom so soon after I
had seen them in flower in my own collection in England - I was
expecting a 12 month gap in flowering! The same was true for
Mammillaria - I was amazed to find how 'conditioned' my mind was.
This seemed to apply mainly to plants grown in pots in the nursery
section, where plants are propagated and raised for sale as well as
for study. The brain seemed to readily accept the bedded out flowering
plants.
Much of yesterday afternoon, today and the
next morning was spent taking pictures - I must have taken most of the
plants home in digital format. Angie was chasing lizards around,
believing that she had house-trained a particularly colourful one by
the time we left the next day. Angie & I were due to have a 'best
lizard picture' competition, but seeing some of Ricardo's spectacular
images indicated that we should put in a bit more practice.
Ricardo and Juan had rigged up an improvised
screen for digital image projection, so we also spent time looking at
each other's digital images, discussing cactus taxonomy and politics
and planning Copiapoathon 2007. We hope that members of the Chilean
Cactus Society will join us in the field in 2007 and that some of the
foreign participants will bring some digital images of their favourite
plants or trips, or perhaps of plants in their own collections, as we
plan to have laptops and a digital projector available for impromptu
presentations during the evenings. Ricardo and Rudolf have found some
facilities in Caldera and Taltal that would be very suited for this
purpose.
Ricardo must have somehow gotten the idea that I like Chilean wine -
can't think how - as he tried a selection of some very fine wines out
on me; something that I suspect will also be a feature of the 2007
presentation sessions.
