The Chileans Volume 16, #53:86, 1995

FINDING WHICH SORT OF COPIAPOA? by A. W. Craig

Here we found the small Copiapoa tenuissima sunken in the ground, usually under the shade of small rocks, with only a few plants out on the open ground. Most plants were solitary, those growing side-by-side may equally have been separate plants. Individual heads were usually not much in excess of 30 mm diameter, occasionally up to or slightly over 40 mm across, almost always flattened and nearly flush with the ground. The tubercles were pointed like a broad arrowhead, the areoles a tiny slit with minute spination. Body colour was pale grey, or dark grey on plants out in the open, or reddish brown where they enjoyed more protection from the rocks.

At this same spot we also found a third sort, again growing globular or somewhat elongated globular, above ground level. These heads would be up to about four inches across. There were solitary plants and others with up to four or five heads. The spination was fairly robust, with about 6 to 8 spines per areole. We are still uncertain what name should be attached to these plants.

We then drove further inland until we reached what passes for the main road running north to south; from that point we turned south, seeing nothing in the way of vegetation of any sort until we began to approach the coast again not far from Paposo.

from H.Middleditch

In his Kakteen in Sűdamerika, Ritter gives for the Type location of Copiapoa tenuissima "Coastal mountains in the south of Antofagasta, a habitat of limited area where they are exposed to danger; the specimens to be seen there seldom flower or set fruit as they are eaten by the Guanaco. This species is related to Copiapoa variispinata and Copiapoa humilis. The illustration in Backeberg Die Cactaceae Vol.6 p. 3840 is significant in showing a somewhat hairy fruit. This is a primitive characteristic.“

There is no indication provided by Ritter of any distribution area for Copiapoa tenuissima. There are a number of Copiapoa species named by Ritter which apparently occupy a very restricted distribution area. However, there is a field record in Piante Grasse Vol. 11, No4, 1991 of collections by I.& C. Doni of Copiapoa tenuissima at D65 at 5km E. of El Cobre and D66 at a further 8km to the east. This will be in the same general area as the sighting reported by A.W.Craig.

 from R.Ferryman

During my first visit to Chile back in 1982, F. Kattermann, Adriana Hoffmann and myself found these clumping plants when travelling from Blanco Encalada towards Paposo, RMF 53. As there is no real location of Blanco Encalada we could only estimate the distance to Paposo and it was concluded that we were near to a map reference of Caleta Botija. The Copiapoa population was very healthy in terms of numbers and spread along the low coastal plain almost to the sea shore. lt clearly had even grown on what was now the road. The road is the only direct link between El Cobre or Blanco Encalada and Paposo and is relatively well used. lt was my conclusion that whilst I did not recognise this plant it would have been seen by anyone making this journey, a fact confirmed by subsequent travellers.

A review of the available literature indicated that the only known plant from this location was Ritter‘s Copiapoa variispinata. However, the plants we found did not match the description very well. They were grey bodied, small low clumping plants and I have to say, very impressive looking. lt was a small location but such an obvious one - the only road passes through its habitat and twists immediately the plants come into view. so that it is impossible not to see them. lt was our view at the time that Ritter could not have missed such an obvious location. As he clearly travelled this route, it was felt that perhaps his description was inaccurate or based upon cultivated plants. When I showed slides of this location at The Chileans‘ Weekend, this particular plant was discussed; some of the plants were almost covered with sand and others were growing close enough to the sea to be covered with sea spray. I remain unsure what the plant is that many of us have found south of El Cobre, but some time ago I concluded that this clumping plant was not Copiapoa variispinata.

Ritter describes a number of Copiapoa species from the area of Taltal to Paposo and further north, which were not known to me from reliable material, viz: Copiapoavariispinata, rarissima, and paposoensis. The stated location for Copiapoa variispinata was in the general area of the RMF 53 population and so I provisionally attached this name to my collection, although I was concerned that the description provided by Ritter did not in fact relate to the plants as found. Consequently I changed the identification of RMF 53 to Copiapoa species!

Regarding the observation that certain of the Copiapoa gave the impression that the flowering season had just started, it does seem to be very probable that Copiapoa will flower all year round.

from F.Vandenbroeck

During the course of our visit to Chile in 1985, and then again on my last travel there in 1990, we came across a Copiapoa species growing only a few kilometres to the south of Blanco Encalada, close to the ocean. The separate heads measure no more than 5 to 6 cm across. These plants are all quite characteristic and must assumedly represent a separate species. lt was most interesting to have a look at the slides taken by R.M.Ferryman in Chile. Some of them show rare or remarkable specimens. However, I doubt whether the plants which are named Copiapoa variispinata are really this species. I know these plants very well and recognized them on these slides, but was never sure about their identity.

from H.Middleditch

The slide taken by F.Vandenbroeck of these plants in habitat near Caleta Botija showed clearly that they were precisely the same clumping plants reported by A.W.Craig and R.Ferryman. The same plant appears on Plate 15 in Piante Grasse Vol 11, No4, 1991 where it is simply titled "sp. 30km Blanco Encalada“. lt is also listed under D70 in the I.&Copiapoa Doni field list in the same publication.

In the F.Kattermann field number list there is an FK 376 from El Cobre and an FK 377 from Blanco Encalada, both Copiapoa atacamensis. Would this name be applicable to the "third sort“ of Copiapoa seen by A.W.Craig inland from Blanco Encalada, near the junction with the road from El Cobre, in the company of Copiapoa solaris and Copiapoa tenuissima? Some of these "third sort“ seen and photographed there had the spines on each rib arranged in a pallisade, similar to those on Pfeiffer‘s illustration of Copiapoa marginata (Chileans No.37 p.19) and on the Curtis‘ Botanical magazine illustration of Copiapoa streptocaulon (Chileans No.38 p.168). Other plants photographed at the same place had spines from one rib overlapping those from the adjacent rib, rather like those on the Copiapoa atacamensis on the frontispiece of Chileans No.48. The overall appearance of these plants was similar to those shown on the inside front cover of Chileans‘ no.48. lt was observed by R.Ferryman (Chileans No.48 p. 111) that Copiapoa atacamensis extended from the vicinity of Antofagasta to the area round Blanco Encalada. In consequence it would be only the southern representatives of this species which may have been seen by A.W.Craig. lt is always possible that the semi-sunken plants seen near Caleta Botija were the southernmost outlyers of this same species, at the limit of their existence and driven half underground.

from A.W.Craig

In regard to the plants seen near Caleta Botija, my understanding of Copiapoa atacamensis is that it is somewhat like a smaller version of Copiapoa solaris in that it grows above the ground and not partially submerged into the ground. lt also offsets sparingly, whereas all these unidentified plants were solitary, with but one or two exceptions. lt also appears that Copiapoa atacamensis carries more than six spines per areole, which all tend to point away from the body to some degree, again quite different to the spination on this unidentified plant.

from F.Ritter, Kakteen in Sud-Amerika 1980
Copiapoa variispinata

Body green, often offsetting below. Heads 4 to 7 cm thick, globular, elongating in old age, crown surmounted by dense spination, without any woolly cap. Ribs 14-22, slightly to deeply crenated, with mammillate tubereles. Areoles with prolific white wool-felt, round, 1.5 to 4.5.mm diameter on the tubercles with 3-8 mm gap between them. Spines mostly dark brown, less often pale yellowish brown, rapidly going grey, straight. Radial spines slim needle-like, directed sideways around the areole, 10-15, usually 3 to 8 mm long, in longer spined examples up to 15 or 20 mm long. Central spines somewhat stronger, 5-10, pointing in all directions, usually 5 to 10 mm long; in specimens with larger areoles spaced further apart and having relatively few ribs, 10 to over 30 mm long. [Flower detailed]. Type location: 50 km north of Paposo and 30 km south of Blanco Encalada. Found by me 1968.

This species displays an extraordinary range of variation specifically in respect of its spination. Indeed each of the specimens shown in the two photographs [Figs 981 & 982] could be taken to be two different species. However they are the two extremes of a steady transition, unless this species is combined with another species of Copiapoa, with which it can hybridise. This becomes understandable if one considers that in the graceful form it is essentially a matter of the persistence of the characteristics of youth being retained in age; the ribs remain low, the tubercles small, the areoles small, the spines slender and short as in young plants. In the other form there occurs more or less the much greater development of the characteristics of age.

from H.Middleditch

On reading the Ritter description, there does seem to be quite a discrepancy between the data in this description and the plants on the habitat photographs of A.W.Craig, I.&C. Doni, R.Ferryman and F.Vandenbroeck. Ritter provides two photographs (his Figs 981 and 982) of this species, which certainly bear out his contention that they display a wide range of variation. However, both these plants are growing in pots and so presumably are in cultivation, although we are not told this in the text. The appearance of each plant, as far as one can see from the rather poor reproduction of the photographs, is more or less uniform from the base to the crown. This would lead to the supposition that they are seed grown, or alternatively offsets produced in cultivation from collected plants which have been removed from the parent and rooted down; they may even be the top growth produced in cultivation on a habitat collected plant which has been removed and set away on its own roots. My own experience with growing collected plants of Copiapoa is that the new growth in the greenhouse can not infrequently be so different from the habitat growth that if the cultivated portion is removed and put on its own roots, it would be hard to convince a visitor that the decapitated base and the rerooted top were one and the same species, never mind one and the same plant.

Consequently I would be prepared to accept that Ritter‘s Figs 981 and 982 are indeed Copiapoa variispinata, despite their total lack of similarity to the plants on the habitat slides. This brings us to Ritter‘s description for this species, which does seem to apply quite respectably to the particular cultivated plants in his illustrations. But it fails to relate to the habitat appearance of these plants. Thus it is hardly surprising that both R.Ferryman and F.Vandenbroeck express reservations about applying this name to the plants seen in habitat near Caleta Botija.

from R.Ferryman

The description of Copiapoa variispinata provided by Ritter certainly does not fit the plant I found near the coast which I designated RMF 53. Those plants are mound forming, with hard bodies, grey pruinose, with small diameter heads perhaps up to 100mm, ribs 10 to 12. Comparing the Ritter description to RMF 53 one will find glaring differences in rib count, as well as hard bodies for RMF 53 and soft body for variispinata. The population of RMF 53 as I saw it is very consistent and cannot be deemed variably spined. Certainly I do not support the view that the Ritter description is of cultivated seedlings.

lt was the uncertainty about designating RMF 53 as Copiapoa variispinata that lead A.Hoffmann to exclude this plant from her book on the Cactus of Chile, with which I fully acquiesed. In order to try and clear up this uncertainty we again travelled in company to this same area. This time we headed inland from the RMF 53 location following two quebradas. lt is a long walk to the coastal range and even further ascending. Our efforts were rewarded when we found what I believe to be Copiapoa variispinata growing in the Quebrada Izcuna; the coastal end of this valley runs down into the RMF 53 location near Caleta Botija. Higher into the Quebrada Izcuna, Copiapoa variispinata can be found with an unidentified species of Copiapoa that appears to be unrelated to either Copiapoa humilis, or to Copiapoa tenuissima, or to the clumping species RMF 53 seen at the coast. Yet another Copiapoa can be found in the Quebrada Izcuna, hard grey-bodied, thin columnar, clumping. This area is known as Miguel Diaz although there is no obvious reference to the name when you are there!

lt was the following year when A.Hoffmann led a small party of I.O.S members to this same location and half a dozen of these plants were collected. The intention had been to pay a flying visit to the Chileans‘ Weekend with these plants and then go on to the I.O.S. Congress where they would be a subject of discussion. Most regrettably the necessary paperwork did not accompany the collected plants and they were seized by U.K. customs before they had served their purpose. They are reputedly now at Kew.

In his Kakteen in Südamerika, Ritter divides into sections all the species of Copiapoa which he describes there. His Copiapoa variispinata is included in his group with the likes of humilis and tenuissima which matches my own conception of Copiapoa variispinata. On the other hand, RMF 53 belongs with Copiapoa atacamensis (Copiapoa boliviana sensu Ritter). Most fortunately I have been able to obtain a cutting of FR 1447 from the source who acquired the original Ritter collection which had been kept at Olmue, in Chile. This is definitely a clustering plant of the humilis type and clearly the sort of plant that was found by A.Hoffmann and myself in the Quebrada Izcuna.

from H.Middleditch

After consulting the map accompanying Philippi‘s account of his trip to Atacama in 1853, it came as something of a surprise to find that Miguel Diaz, as marked on that map, was situated virtually at the same distances from Paposo and from Blanco Encalada respectively as quoted by Ritter. The same applies to the map accompanying the account by A.Johnston of his 1925 visit to northem Chile. In turn, Miguel Diaz is shown on both maps lying only two or three km south of Caleta Botija. Thus it does appear to be fairly certain that the the observations made separately by A.W.Craig, by R.Ferryman, and by F.Vandenbroeck relate to a site close to Miguel Diaz, which is the same location as the that given by Ritter for his Copiapoa variispinata.

from F.Katterman

lt will be approximately 30km to the south of Blanco Encalada that the road passes close to a fairly large number of clumps of Copiapoa, my FK382. These will be the same plants that other travellers have reported from here as they are the only obvious Copiapoa at this spot. We stopped there and went up the Quebrada Botija until we were at about 500m altitude, where we found more Copiapoa. They are not of exactly the same appearance as those close to the road, but being a lumper, I put them both down as variispinata! An Australian party were at this location in early 1996 and they also went up that Quebrada, reaching the upper fog belt at about l000m altitude. They came across forms of Copiapoa humilis and tenuissima as well as Neochilenia floccosa.

from A.W.Craig

My first reaction to this report was to question the altitude of 1000m as it gave me the impression of being in excess of the height of the coastal hills in this area. However, when I refer to the large scale detailed map of this area I find that the contours do show that the coastal hills are higher than I had imagined. In fact, it would probably need a trek of only some 3km or so up the Quebrada Botija in order to reach an altitude of 1000m.

from R.Schulz

We were able to spend two full days at the Quebrada Botija, which is my favourite site in Chile! We walked up this Quebrada and found a veritable botanical oasis, even Tillandsia geissei! This was most unexpected compared with the surroundings close to the coast where the Copiapoa variispinata were growing. The coast road roughly follows the 100m contour from Punta dos Reyes to Quebrada Botija. At one time the road must have made a loop on the contour line for about a kilometer up and down the valley but now it takes a direct line across the mouth of the valley. Below the road, the shoreline forms a bay, the Caleta Botija.

We camped about a kilometer off the road, in the mouth of the valley, at the entrance to the Quebrada Botija. There were plants of Copiapoa variispinata around the campsite and also for another kilometer or so into the Quebrada. We were rather too tired to walk up the hills to look for Copiapoa variispinata and walked up the valley instead. Roughly two kilometers further up the valley the Copiapoa variispinata gave way to a different sort of Copiapoa to which we were not able to give a name. As we trekked up the valley we saw here and there a Copiapoa which grew next to rocks and seemed to have an affinity with Copiapoa atacamensis. Some of these plants were starting to look like Copiapoa haseltoniana! Further still up the valley we came across Copiapoa solaris and in fact these were the healthiest specimens of this species which we have seen in Chile. There were tens of thousands of Copiapoa solaris to be seen with the aid of binoculars on the hill slopes above us. We also found a few plants of a humilis type, with a soft body, growing among the dead Eulychnia on the hill tops. The furthermost spot we reached up the valley was probably about five kilometers from our camp site.

There is no valley as such at Miguel Diaz. We looked up to the hills but could not spot any green to indicate seepage so perhaps the spring is now dry. The Izcuna valley is promising but we did not have time to explore it. lt has the same topography as the Botija valley and is connected by an 800m high saddle to the Botija valley to the north. The Izcuna valley does not seem to have a track leading from the coastal road up over the alluvial rubble and as we did not have a four wheel drive vehicle we did not attempt to bounce our way over this and get closer to the hills.

When we climbed away from the coast, above El Cobre, we experienced our heaviest fog at between 800 and 900m altitude, where visibility was only about 50m! Otherwise on the coast there were the usual overcast mornings.

from H.Middleditch

lt is interesting that A.W.Craig did not encounter any fog belt when climbing away from the coast above El Cobre and yet the Australian party did so. Would this be due to the time of year (December and May), or even the time of day?

In Chileans No.48 p.113 , there is an account by R.A.Philippi of his trip along the coast from Paposo to El Cobre with observations on the surroundings. Where the quebrada from Agua Miguel Diaz met the coast "there was almost nothing else to be seen except Echinocactus, with Chuquiraga acicularis and Scytalanthus here and there“. Only closer to the spring of Miguel Diaz itself was "the vegetation similar to that at Paposo, but much sparser“, with 37 different species noted, compared with about 120 near Paposo. lt might be presumed that the "Echinocactus“ seen by Philippi where the quebrada met the coast, were the same RMF 53 as reported above.