First we found the hairy wind-dispersed fruits of our tiny plant. Of course the seeds had long since rolled out. By following the tracks of these fruit mummies we eventually found, despite the howling wind, some of these interesting plants. Thanks to the seed that Ritter had collected earlier, the plants are now fairly common in our collections, while in nature they are very rare and almost impossible to find. 

When we arrived back at the foot of the hill, my wife had already prepared a simple but filling meal. Washing up, brushing ones teeth and washing of hands were luxuries that we went without, as our water supply had to be stretched as much as possible, only to be used as drinking water, in the preparation of food or to top up levels in the car's radiator. And so, as darkness fell, we found our sleeping accommodation in the car. We were getting used to this and slept like logs.

Thelocephela napina (Phil.) Ito on the iron ore mountains at  Huasco.      photo Buining

Back on the main road we reached the coast and arrived at rocks that contained a high percenatge of iron ore. Here we found Pyrrhocactus huascensis, Thelocephala napina, Neoporteria villosa and Copiapoa fiedleriana.

It was interesting that, high on the hill tops, we found many Neop. villosa, both with heavy hard spines but also with soft brush-like spination. In some places I found, I assume, young plants, squeezed in cracks in the rocks with very soft, almost hair-like spination, looking exactly like Backeberg's Neoporteria cephalophora.

Mountainous landscape in Chili where we found Copiapoa alticostata Ritter,
Copiapoa cuprea Ritter and Pyrrhocactus atroviridis Ritter.
photo Buining

They grew right alongside the typical Neop. villosa with stiff spines, so that it was impossible for these to be different species. Much further inland, we found, along the road side at the top of some mountain passes, Copiapoa alticostata and C. cuprea, as well as groups of Opuntia mieckleyi and Eulychnia acida.

Later, Ritter showed us the way to the difficult to find Pyrrhocactus crispus (syn. Neochilenia nigriscoparia Backbg., described later), Thelocephala lembckei, Copiapoa vallenarensis and a Neoporteria species FR 1088. Then, along mule tracks, into the wilderness, to close to the coast, where we found the beautiful, white Copiapoa dealbata and Thelocephala nuda. Right along the coast grew Copiapoa echinata and C. carrizalensis.

Habitat of Pyrrhocactus crispus Ritter, syn. Neochilenia nigriscoparia Bckbg. photo Buining

After a meal, we had to drive north again, to get to the localities of specific plants. Ritter was quite concerned about this stretch, as we had to travel through a bone dry and very fine sand desert. He also knew that, due to strong winds from the Ocean, the tracks would be hidden below the sand, so that driving becomes almost impossible and it is very easy to get lost. I encouraged him to take the risk. Several times the track finished in a dead end at the sea, with some uninhabited fishermen's huts. This meant going back and trying our luck elsewhere. Any accident, and we'd be lost, as people only pass here very occasionally, often months apart.

(to be continued)