Copiapoa desertorum

Copiapoa desertorum
Date: 2002 November 24
Location: coastal Chile, near Cifuncho

These plants have been given an assortment of names involving desertorum, and rupestris, but who cares what they are called? I still can't believe that we drove right by in 2001 without noticing them (despite knowing that they grew hereabouts).

Here, Clarke Brunt poses with a huge plant (near-vertical sun never did help with photographs!).

In 2002, the plants were unmissable. There must have been some rain in the intervening year, and the plants appeared to be in the best of health, showing off their rarely seen red flowers.

The flower colour is rare among Copiapoa which tend to be uniformly yellow.