You only find Copiapoas in the northern parts
of Chile in a narrow zone along the coast of the Pacific. The plants
grow from the north at Antafogasta to Fray Jorge south of La Serena in
deserted and very dry areas.
About 100 kilometres south of
Antofagsta you may find Quebrada Botija. A very deserted place where
only a few fishermen are living in primitive huts along the ocean.
Everything is so dry and there is only a brief evidence of life here. The
mountains seem naked without any vegetation.
We
have quite a long walk in front of us till the top of Quebrada Botija,
and therefore we have to get up early as soon as the sun is visible in
the horizon. We just eat a little and get a cup of coffee in the dawn
before breaking up. Then off we go through sand and stones which is
characteristic in these gorges which with interval of years are filled up
with tremendous amounts of water which runs down into these quebradas from the
surrounding mountains to get to the ocean.
We concentrate on getting to the top without looking too much at the
plants that we actually see on the way up - there will be more time to
study the plants on our way down.
On the top we find to species: Copiapoa solaris and Copiapoa atacamensis - and
nothing else. These plants grow above the fog zone and will eventually get some rain. According to Ritter ('Kakteen
in Südamerika') he visited this locality several times and once
experienced that the soil was wet from recent rain.
Copiapoa solaris will in time grow to huge clusters with green "branches" which probably will be several hundred years old. Among Copiapoa solaris you find Copiapoa atacamensis
wich are much smaller and have the typical white look. The plant has a
carrot-like root where it can store water underground as well.
On the way down we pay attention to the plants we meet. We see Copiapoa decorticans further
down on the steep mountain-walls. It is a different looking plant and
one may assume that this species belongs to another complex of the
Copiapoas with all relatives now extinct. Copiapoa decorticans was found a few years ago and described in 2002.
At
the bottom of the Quebrada on the sand between the mountains and the
Pacific you will find a small Copiapoa which forms neat little
clusters. Again a new species which was correctly described and
classified in 2002 with the name Copiapoa ahremephiana
(R-M-F 'iana for the initials of Roger M. Ferryman).
|
