Argentina & Chile November 2008 - Day 2

[David_L]

This Parodia was jammed into the many crevices in the crumbling granite hillside, and virtually every plant was in flower.


[attachment 16063 Parodia_riojense2.jpg]

Flower colour varied from clear yellow through to a much more orange shade. The plant bodies were quite small, only 1-2" across at the very most.

[David_L]

There was some overlap with the plants that we had seen at Los Colorados. This fine Pyrrhocactus bulbocalyx was grimly hanging onto the hillside.


[attachment 16064 Pyrrhocactus_bulbocalyx_SE.jpg]

[David_L]

Lobivia (Trichocereus) huascha was also present at this location.


[attachment 16065 Lobivia_huascha_SE.jpg]

[David_L]

Some Cacti are, lets face it, downright ugly at first glance, tall sprawling and without a redeeming feature.


[attachment 16066 Cereus_aethiops.jpg]

Cereus aethiops

[Mike P]

The Parodias also appeared with more orange than yellow in the flowers.
[attachment 16067 w1.jpg]

[David_L]

But look a little closer and they don't look so bad. Fresh growth on Cereus aethiops had an attractive bluish bloom and contrasting black spines

[attachment 16068 Cereus_aethiops2.jpg]

[Mike P]

There were also very fine Tephrocactus articulatus var ?
[attachment 16069 u1.jpg]
Slightly grainy image that photoshop had trouble reducing in size.

[Mike P]

And another.
[attachment 16070 x1.jpg]
I have seen clones like this in cultivation and must seek one out this year.

[David_L]

I think this might be what Willy called Tephrocactus articulatus V. oligacanthus Mike.

[Mike P]

Whilst we were wandering around we noticed what we thought at first was a fire in the distance. Closer inspection revealed it to be a dust devil and after a while several were spotted in the valley.
As David noted this was a picnic spot complete with shelter and a large ammount of broken wine bottles.
[attachment 16071 y1.jpg]