Sunday, 26 December 2010 – around Vallenar
What did you do on Boxing Day 2010?
We woke up with the sun streaming through our hotel window. After breakfast we set out on Ruta 5, heading north until the turning east to El Donkey. After some 30 km we started seeing individual globular cacti and some small clumps growing on the hillside to the south of the road: S2161 – Copiapoa coquimbana ssp andina. We were here before in October but it was a first time visit for Cliff and John. None of the plants were in flower so we were unable to doublecheck the orange flowers.
On the way in, we spotted some low hills – ideal Thelocephala country – time for some exploring. But all we found were lots of Cumulopuntia sphaerica and Eulychnia acida in fruit. (S2162). Thelocephala would be difficult to find now, as they were not in flower and pulled down into the ground. Must come back during the flowering season to check.
The Cactus Trip Diaries 