Copiapoa - Living on the Edge
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The genus Copiapoa

by Derek Butcher

In Calandrinia II (1982)

Copiapoa A - Z

C. desertorum Ritt. 1980 (Kakt. Sudamer.) 
Plant no.57, map 6. FR 529, KK 643, KK 34, KK 1436.

Body
dark coloured, broad - round; 

Spines
4.5 relatively short thick spines, at first blackish later light brownish grey

Habitat
near Cifuncho.

Note
Taylor (1981) suggests this may be synonymous with C. rupestris.  

C. domeykoensis Knize n.n. 
Plant no.64, map 7. KK 709.

Ritter (1980) considers this to be a variety of C. pseudocoquimbana. Taylor (1981) believes it to be a variety of C. pendulina.  

C. dura Ritt. 1963. 
Plant no.50, map 6. FR 546, KK 198, KK 607.

Body cylindrical, 7 - 12 cm high, green often darkened, 11 - 15 ribs 7 - 15 mm high, blunt, scarcely tuberculate; 

Areoles - round, 7 - 10 mm across; brown; 

Spines ­ 7 - 9 radials, very subulate, erect or slightly recurved, 1 - 2 cm long, brown later grey. Mostly 3 centrals rarely 1 - 2, erect, 1 - 3 cm long, 1 - 2 mm thick; 

Flower ­ 4 cm long. Petals 20 mm long, 7 - 8 mm wide, sulphur yellow. Pale saffron stamens inserted the whole length of the tube, anthers lemon. Style 20 mm long, stigma with 12 lobes. Scented. Tube and ovary with reddish scales; 

Fruit ­globular, pale green, light brown on top, about 15 mm across with scales; 

Seed ­black covered with thin, sharp tubercles. Hilum large, white; 

Habitat east of Totoral.

Note 
Information from the Chileans indicates that there are two types, one is cylindrical, black to light brown with strong black spines. The other is globular , brown - green to deep green with ribs more defined. Taylor (1981) advises that this could be identical with the original C. echinoides.

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