Copiapoa paposoensis

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Since 4 Aug 2013

Copiapoa paposoensis F.Ritter
Kakteen Südamerika 3: 1068 (1980)
Family: CACTACEAE

Accepted Scientific Name: Copiapoa humilis (Phil.) Hutchison
Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 25: 34. 1953

Copiapoa paposoensis Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
FR1148 22km North of Paposo, 02 Antofagasta, Chile 1300m

Origin and Habitat: Atacama desert in Northern Chile, Depart. Taltal, restricted to a relatively small area from near Paposo to the north near Blanco Encalada. (Type locality: about 20 km north of Paposo)
Habitat: Copiapoa paposoensisSN|9790]]SN|9794]] grows at about 1100 m altitude where constantly sunny weather prevails, together with a great aridity over the misty zone, while in the misty zone lying at a lower level in the same place the Copiapoa humilisSN|9794]]SN|9790]] grows. From there it extends up to 1300 m where the complete desert begins. No hybrids are found between the two sorts, although the distribution area for both sorts overlap slightly.

Synonyms:

Copiapoa paposoensis F.Ritter

Copiapoa humilis var. paposoensis (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.

See all synonyms of Copiapoa humilis

Description: Copiapoa paposoensisSN|9790]]SN|9794]] is one of the controversial geographical forms of the very variable Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]] ssp.humilis with grass-green, bluish-green, or somewhat grey-green, or rarely red-brown stems, as is common for the tender-bodied Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]], but in this form the stem is harder than that of the Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]]. However this plant looks very similar to other forms of Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]] which are linked one to each others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics. Nowadays all them are thought to belong to a unique polymorphic species. Such variations has led to establishment of several unnecessary names for this species.
Habit: Solitary, rarely offsetting of its own.
Stem: Hemispherical, 6-12 cm in diameter, grass-green, bluish-green, or somewhat grey-green, or rarely red-brown. The stem is also harder than that of the Copiapoa humilisSN|9794]]SN|9790]]. The crown is somewhat depressed, with white woolly felt.
Root: Massive, thickened rootstock going well down into the ground, with a long narrow neck.
Ribs: 9-16.
Flowers: Yellow, campanulate, scented, about 30 mm long, growing from the center of the white wool at the apex.
Seeds: 1,5 mm wide, black.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Copiapoa humilis group

Copiapoa humilis (Phil.) Hutchison: is a very small low growing cactus with roots like turnips, usually clumping. It's a highly variable taxon with several more or less similar forms. Distribution: Antofagasta
Copiapoa humilis f. cristata hort.: Crested form.
Copiapoa humilis var. longispina (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
Copiapoa humilis subs. tenuissima (F.Ritter ex D.R.Hunt) D.R.Hunt: is a geophytic cactus arising from a large tuberose root that can slowly branch from the base to form small clumps. Distibution: South of Antofagasta.
Copiapoa humilis subs. tenuissima f. cristata hort.: Crested form. Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Copiapoa humilis subs. tenuissima f. monstruosa cristata hort.: Monstrous and crested form. Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Copiapoa humilis subs. tenuissima f. monstruosa hort.: Monstrous form. Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Copiapoa humilis var. tocopillana (F.Ritter) G.J.Charles: stem usually solitary, glaucous-green to greyish greem, globose to short cylindrical. Distribution: Antofagasta: (Tocopilla) It is the most northern Copiapoa.
Copiapoa humilis subs. variispinata (F.Ritter) D.R.Hunt: has unusual green body. It form clusters that are wider than hight. Distribution: Quebrada Izcuna on the south of Caleta Botija, between Paposo and Blanco Encalada about 50 km north of Paposo.
Copiapoa leonensis I.Schaub & Keim: Related with C. humilis and C. hypogaea, has small greysh stems ( max. 5 cm) with a strong taproot. Flowers yellow-orangish. Spines long and stout. Distribution: Quebrada el León, Atacama, Chile.
Copiapoa maritima Kníže: has dark body and off-setting freely. This plant corresponds to Copiapoa humilis subsp. humilis, and the town of collection mentioned (Paposo) is the type locality of this species.
Copiapoa paposoensis F.Ritter: has harder stems than that of the Copiapoa humilis. Paposo

Notes: The identification of the true 'paposoensis' may concern a degree of uncertainty as to what this plant is, and many plants found in cultivation are Copiapoa humilisSN|9790]]SN|9790]] ssp. humilis.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Robert Silverberg “The Palace at Midnight: The Collected Stories, Volume 5“ Hachette UK, 29/Sep/2011
2) Graham Charles “Copiapoa” Cirio Pub. Services, 1999
3) Riha & Subik. “The illustrated encyclopedia of cacti and other succulents” (edited by G. & K.A. Beckett) 1981
4) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/ago/2011
5) Clive Innes “Complete Handbook of Cacti and Succulents” Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 01/Dec/1981
6) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
7) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
8) N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 4, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
9) F.Ritter “Kakteen Südamerika” 3: 1072 1980