The early days

Many of the species described came from plants collected on expeditions by Thomas Bridges (UK)  that were sent to Europe, and by Rodolfo Philippi (born in Germany but moved to Chile).

These plants were described as members of the genus Echinocactus.

1845

Salm-Dyck
Einige neuen Cacteen. In Allg. Gartenz. 13: 386 - 87.

Echinocactus cinerascens
Echinocactus echinoides,
Echinocactus malletianus
Echinocactus marginatus

1847

Pfeiffer
Abbildung und Beschreibung Bluhende Cacteen 
2(3):- t.14; (6): tt. 29 & 30.

Echinocactus copiapensis
Echinocactus bolivianus
Echinocactus bridgesii

1850

Salm-Dyck Cacteen in Hortus Dyckensis 

Echinocactus macracanthus

1860

Philippi
Flora Atamacamensis

Echinocactus conglomeratus,
Echinocactus humilis
Echinocactus cinereus 

1885

Karwinski, W.F. in Förster K. F.
Handbuch der Cakteenkunde, Edition 2

Echinocactus coquimbanus

1898

Karl Schumann
Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen

Echinocactus pepinianus

1903

Karl Schumann
Gesamtb. Kakteen Nachtr

Echinocactus fiedlerianus

the Britton & Rose era

1922

Britton & Rose
The Cactaceae volume 3: 85 - 89, figs 98 - 100, t. 10.2.

Copiapoa (The Genus)
Copiapoa megarhiza (p88)

1929

Werdermann, Notizbl. des Bot. Gart. und Mus. Berlin

Copiapoa taltalensis

1936

Backeberg, Jahrb. DKG

Copiapoa gigantea

1953

Hutchison P.C.
Studies of South American Cactaceae 2. In
Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 25(2): 34 - 37, figs. 23 & 24; 3. Ibid. (3): 63 - 72, figs. 48 - 58

transferred Echinocactus humulis to Copiapoa

the Friedrich Ritter era

1959

Ritter F. Copiapoa nouveaux du Chili.
Cactus (Paris)14 (63): 133 - 140; (65): 197 - 200 (1959)

Copiapoa calderana
Copiapoa carrizalensis
Copiapoa columna-alba
Copiapoa dealbata
Copiapoa pendulina
Copiapoa echinata
Copiapoa cuprea
Copiapoa microsperma

1959

Backeberg Copiapoa
Die Cactaceae Volume III : 1900 - 1923, figs. 1824 - 1853,
tt. 143 - 47, 160; 6:3811 - 41, figs. 3458 - 77.

Copiapoa brunescens
Copiapoa applanata
Copiapoa lembckei
Copiapoa ferox Lembcke & Backeb.
Copiapoa wagenknechtii Ritter 

1960

Ritter F. Copiapoa nouveaux du Chili.
Cactus (Paris) 15(66): 19 - 24 (1960).

Copiapoa serpentisulcata
Copiapoa montana
Copiapoa barquitensis
Copiapoa totoralensis
Copiapoa hypogaea

1961

Ritter F. Ein neues Kakteen-Genus aus Chile.
In Kakteen und anderen Sukkulenten 12: 20 - 22, figs. 1 & 2

Copiapoa solaris

1962

Backeberg C.  Copiapoa - Die Cactaceae Volume VI
includes a number of new descriptions credited to Ritter

Copiapoa chanaralensis
Copiapoa castanea
Copiapoa intermedia

1963

Ritter F. Diagnosen von neuen Kakteen.
In Taxon 12: 29 - 32. 

Copiapoa rubriflora
Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana
Copiapoa mollicula
Copiapoa dura
Copiapoa longistaminea
Copiapoa rupestris
Copiapoa longispina
Copiapoa krainziana
Copiapoa grandiflora
Copiapoa scopulina
Copiapoa alticostata
Copiapoa tenuissima

1976

Voldan Copiapoa serenana Kakteen und anderen Sukkulenten

Copiapoa serenana

1980

Ritter F. Kakteen in Sűdamerika
Band 3: 1044 - 1107, figs. 963 - 1058, colour fig. 26.

Copiapoa eremophila
Copiapoa melanohystrix
Copiapoa paposoensis
Copiapoa tenebrosa
Copiapoa varispinata
Copiapoa vallenarensis
Copiapoa tocopillana
Copiapoa rarissima
Copiapoa chaniaralensis
Copiapoa olivana
Copiapoa hornilloensis
Copiapoa esmeraldana
Copiapoa desertorum
Copiapoa paposoensis

1980

Diers  Kakteen und anderen Sukkulenten

Copiapoa laui

1980

Middleditch H. The Chileans 

Copiapoa atacamensis

The Post Ritter era - evaluation and rationalisation

1989

Hoffmann, Adriana - Cactaceas - en la flora silvestre de Chile

1991

Taylor N.P. Cactus & Succulent Society of GB Journal

1991

Meregalli M. & Doni
Copiapoa Piante Grasse Speciale - Il Genere Copiapoa 

1996

Schulz R & Kapitany A Copiapoa in their environment

1998

Charles G.- Copiapoa

2004

2005