Copiapoa rubriflora

Original Description

Copiapoa rubriflora Ritter, sp. nova, a C. rupestri Ritter (cf. speciem praecedentem 15) recedit: corpore 15-30 cm longo, 6-12 cm diam., radice rapacea, longa, crassa, apice angustata; costis vix crenatis, areolis 4-8 mm diam.; spinis brunneis, valde curvatis, radialibus 2-4 cm longis, centralibus 1(2-3), 2,5-5 cm longis; floribus 3,5-5,5 cm longis; tubo florali 10-18 mm longo, camera nectarifera 3-4 mm longa, fauce clausa; tepalis 13-25 mm longis, carminatis, pallide roseo-vel pallide luteo-marginatis; stylo pallide luteo vel pallide carminato, stigmatibus 12-14, luteis vel aurantiacis; fructu carminato; seminibus 1,4 mm longis, 1 mm latis, hilo brunnescenti.

Habitat: Südlich von Taltal, Nord-Chile, an der Küste in sehr sterilem Boden.
Typus in der Städtischen Sukkulentensammlung, Zürich (Schweiz). Gesammelt als FR 211.

References in Literature


Ritter F. in Hildegard Winter Katalog		FR 211 appeared in the Winter Katalog of 1955 as C. echinoidea var. salm-dyckiana - Körper frischer grűn als der Typ. St. kastanien braun. It did not appear in 1956. In 1957 and 1959 it re-appeared, this time as C. rubriflora sp. nov.- Die einzige rotblűhende Art. St. gebogen rotbraun - Only species with red flowers

Backeberg C. (1959), Die Cactaceae 3:

Ritter F. (1963) Taxon 12(1):29		Original description, see above,

Ritter F. (1980) Kakteen in Südamerika (3):1061		Ritter reports affiliation with C. desertorum and C. ruspestris.

Taylor N.P. (1981) A commentary on Copiapoa , The Cactus and Succulent Journal of Great Britain, 43(2/3): 49-60 Checklist		'C. rubriflora F. Ritter (1963). See C. rupestris. '

Butcher D. (1982) The Genus Copiapoa, Calandrinia II :14		C. rubriflora Ritt. (Taxon 1963) Plant no.21, map 4. FR 211, KK 89, KK 658. Body-15-30 cm high, 6-12 cm across with ribs slightly notched; Areoles4-8 mm across; Spines-brown, radials strongly curved, 2-4 cm long. 1 central (sometimes 2-3) 2.5 to 5 cm long; Flower-3.5-5.5 cm long with petals 13-25 mm long, carmine with pale rose or pale saffron edges. Style pale saffron or pale carmine, stigma with 12-14 yellow or gold lobes. Tube 10-18 mm long. Nectar chamber 3-4 mm long, gland closed; Fruit-carmine with seed 1.4 mm long, I mm wide with brownish hilum; Roots-strong, long, thick with narrow neck; Habitat-south of Taltal on the coast in barren soil. Note: Ritter considers this species to be similar to C. rupestris.'

Hoffmann A. E. (1989) Cactaceas en la flora silvestre de Chile:		As C. desertorum var. rubriflora

Meregalli M & Doni, C (1991) Piante Grasse Speciale - Il Genere Copiapoa

Eggli U., Schick M.M. & Leuenburger, B.E. (1995) Englera 16: 162		FR 211

Schulz R. & Kapitany A., (1996) Copiapoa in their Environment		The authors concentrate on the environmental matters rather than taxonomy issues.

Charles G. J., (1998) Copiapoa		as a synonym of C. rupestris.

Hunt D. (Ed.) (2001) Coping with Copiapoa - 2, Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 12: 15-17

Taylor N. P., (2001) Roots and mucilage in Copiapoa, Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 12: 18

Hunt D. (Ed.) (2002) Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 13:12

Hoffmann A.E. & Walter H. (2004) Cactaceas en la flora silvestre de Chile (2nd Ed.): 130

Hunt D. (Ed.) (2006) The New Cactus Lexicon

Schulz, R. (2006) Copiapoa in their Environment (2006)

Distribution(Map)

PK Comments

'Die einzige rotblűhende Art. - Only species with red flowers'

Ritter's dogmatic statement in the Winter Katalog is incorrect. All Copiapoa taxa appear to be capable of producing red pigmentation in their petaloids, so that most Copiapoa buds are distinctly red in colour. Once the ability to produce red pigmentation in its flowers is present in the genetic make up of a plant, the extent to which it is displayed in the flower is not sufficient to warrant the rank of species.

I was keen to have a red flowered Copiapoa in my collection and over the years acquired seed and a number of plants labelled 'rubriflora', When flowering time arrived, I was always disappointed to find that the flowers were 'Copiapoa yellow' in colour. Unfortunately, I would then pass the plants on to friends, BCSS branch raffles and plant sales, without having ascertained their true identity.

During our 2001 Copiapoathon we came across a distinctly reddish flowered individual plant in an otherwise yellow flowering population of C. coquimbana. On my return I started to assemble the original descriptions for the members of the genus and learned that in science, the name 'rubriflora' was intended by Ritter for plants growing to the south of Taltal. Other authoritative texts indicate a close relationship / synonymy to C. rupestris and C. desertorum, now placed beneath C. taltalensis.

We explored the area south of Taltal and to the east of Cifuncho in May 2001, June 2003 and October 2004. Finally, during the 2004 Copiapoathon, we came across red flowers on Copiapoa, but on a number of clumps of C. desertorum.

During the same trip, Anne Adams reports sightings of C. solaris in the Quebrada Botija, with similarly reddish coloured flowers. In 2005, plants in my collection donated by friends who were aware of my quest for red flowered Copiapoa produced convincing examples among my C. coquimbana (2 plants) and C. tenuissima (3 plants) where I noticed that the 'degree of redness' I could see differed during the season from plant to plant. So is there a relationship between the amount of red in the flower and environmental conditions? e.g. amount of water, fertiliser, temperature etc.?

More observations from your collections are welcome.