Copiapoa - Living on the Edge
Copiapoa in Habitat
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Copiapoathon

10 May 2001: S003, S004
5 June 2003: S111, S112, S113
26 June 2003: S209
22 October 2004: S319, S320

Road Ruta 5 (Pan Americana)
 to P.N. Fray Jorge.

-30.6341 S   -71.57950  W      Altitude 204  m.

The track from Ruta 5, the Pan Americana, winds its way for some 40 km. through .low hills, past small farm houses to the entrance of the Fray Jorge National Park. For a good part of the way, mature 'hedges' of ceroid cacti (Eulychnia acida  and  Echinopsis (Trichocereus) chiloensis & T. skottsbergii) line the track, while for other stretches huge grazing land with ceroids dotted around provide grazing for goats and sheep, that might explain why there are plenty of large Eriosyce aurata to be found, we failed to find any seedlings or young plants.

Cumulopuntia sphaerica (syn. Tephrocactus berterii)

Also recorded: Eriosyce aurata (Syn. E. sandillon, E. ceratistes var. jorgensis, E. ihotzkeyanae), Eulychnia acida, Echinopsis (Trichocereus) chiloensis & T. skottsbergii

Echinopsis (Trichocereus) chiloensis infected with the parasite Tristerix aphyllus.

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All material, except where otherwise credited, is Copyright
 © 2001-2006 Paul Klaassen

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