In his travelogue, published in the American Cactus Journal, Alfred Lau
made mention of a new cactus species he had found near Tocopilla.
He stated that the plant was new to science and needed further
investigation. His initial thoughts were that the plant was a
Neochilenia, later a juvenile Copiapoa tocopillana,
but his investigations led him to believe it to be a new Copiapoa
species. During my correspondence with him he indicated that the plant was
in all probability a new Copiapoa and would therefore represent the
most northerly member of the genus. Lau then made a further specific visit
to the site upon his return from the I.O.S. Convention in Argentina. He
wrote to me stating that he had found the plant again and from its seed
structure it was a Copiapoa.
He urged me to visit the site and make further investigations, such was
his enthusiasm for his discovery. This I did in 1987 and was fortunate to
find a few plants one of which was in fruit. The fruit was the large
hollow balloon type associated with Islaya. The seed therein
was large, glossy black and quite unlike any Islaya seed I know. On
the basis of the seed alone, Lau’s initial reaction that the plant was a
Copiapoa is quite understandable.
At The Chileans’ Weekend the following year (1988), I showed a number of
slides of this plant, taken in habitat, my own slides of the fruit and
seeds, supported by Lau’s slides of plants which he had flowered
subsequent to his discovery. Placement of this plant proved difficult as
it contained elements of different genera: Islaya fruit, seed
typically Copiapoa, and the flower being small, yellow, and naked
again resembles Copiapoa, Islaya, or Mila! For my
part, the plant rests best with Islaya, a point the subsequent
author of this exciting discovery J.Luthy supports despite placing it in
the all-embracing Eriosyce.
The fruit I collected contained 10 seeds, which I split with one of my travelling companions. My 5
seeds produced 3 clones, each of which were grafted and flowered within
two or three years so that I am pleased to report that seeds and plants
have been distributed to a number of interested folk.
The habitat location is not for the faint hearted or indeed the day
tripper. The coastal mountains between Antofagasta and Tocopilla
rise very steeply from the shoreline. There is sufficient flat ground
between the mountain and the sea to support a road and there are also
several small bays for the intrepid holidaymaker. Within these mountains
exist a few mines and it is often possible to climb to a considerable
height utilising their access roads. Moreover, it is sometimes possible to
utilise the very basic cable lifts that take miners to the higher reaches.
However, very few of these save much more than the initial third to half
of the climb! Few of the mines I know can be regarded as long term and
they disappear as suddenly as they appear.
The climb for Islaya laui was pretty arduous, and on
reaching the perceived top one quickly encounters Eulychnia
which were for the best part dead. Neochilenia saxifraga and
Copiapoa tocopillana were also evident and reasonably
represented. The view from the top was spectacular, with the sea visible
to the south as well as to the west. My instruction was to continue
forward, over the trough that runs north to south in line with the
mountain range.
During the several hours of walking, I questioned in my mind the veracity
of the Lau details and moreover I questioned my sanity! Nothing, but
nothing, grew there and it looked like nothing ever had. There were few
pointers to confirm that I was following Lau’s instructions. The mining
territorial markers were there and indeed used by me for the same reason
as the miners: a
guide. After descending into and crossing the trough, another steep
incline was in front of us and after some ascent, Eriosyce laui
was re-found.
The
first specimens took some time to discover, growing multi-headed under
rocks but the fruit giving away the natural camouflage. Further specimens
were discovered but in reality very few for the time we spent there. All
plants were offsetting (as they do indeed readily from seed) but the
plants themselves were very frail looking. There was obvious evidence of
flower and fruit so even in this remote barren area they were at least
producing the potential for reproduction and as the plants in cultivation
are not self-fertile, there must exist a pollinator, all be it a very
patient one! The peaks of this mountain range were still some way off -
indeed they looked as far away as when we started the second stage of the
ascent. Climbers will know the feeling. What looked an hour away was still
an hour away!
The precise habitat details must remain protected, due to the scarcity of
the population. But during the course of 1999 I am committed to a study of
this region when I hope to map the potential distribution. Rains occurred
in 1998 consequently providing a good opportunity to see if this
remarkable species exists elsewhere. It would appear from correspondence
and discussions with W.Krahn that he has made concerted efforts to locate
this plant in areas surrounding the known site, including Mantas del la
Luna and has found Copiapoa tocopillana and Neochilenia
saxifraga but not the elusive Eriosyce.
Growing this plant from seed presents an interesting challenge. The
resultant seedlings reach a size when they appear to sit still, much like
Ariocarpus. What is happening is that the plant is actually forming
its rootstock. Although I have never dug up a plant in the wild due to
their scarcity, it was evident that it had an enlarged root. Nor would it
appear to be like Thelocephala, but more like the flaked
woody roots seen in many Copiapoa rootstocks. My seedlings were
quickly grafted to speed growth and ensure a better chance of survival.
The resulting propagations have been spread around and the plant now seems
to be in a large number of collections both here and abroad.
Many of Lau’s propagations by seed have been widely distributed and as a
result collectors have had the opportunity to obtain a really unique
species. As for the plants in the wild, it remain unclear what their
success is. Ever the optimist, I believe that if Lau was able to find them
again after a gap of some 15 years, then I have as good a chance after a
similar lapse of time.
