Copiapoa
Genus of plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Copiapoa is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, from the dry coastal deserts, particularly the Atacama Desert, of northern Chile.
| Copiapoa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Copiapoa humilis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Notocacteae |
| Genus: | Copiapoa Britton & Rose |
| Type species | |
| Copiapoa marginata | |
Description
Copiapoa comprises 32 morphologically defined species and five heterotypic subspecies.[1] The species in this genus form dense cushions of hundreds of large, individual plants or produce only solitary plants. The shoots are spherical or elongated cylindrical. The spines, which are usually present, are variably shaped. On the apex, the species are usually densely woolly-haired. The ribs are clearly developed. These species vary in form from spherical to slightly columnar and in color from a brownish to blue-green bodies. They have warty ribs and spiny areoles, and they usually produce tubular yellow flowers, which grow from woolly crowns on the apex in summer. They are bell- to funnel-shaped and open during the day. The short, circular pericarp is glabrous. The flower tube is short and broad. The small, smooth fruits contain large, shiny, black seeds.[2]
Taxonomy
Pilocopiapoa F.Ritter has been brought into synonymy with this genus. Some authorities also include here the genus Blossfeldia.
Species
As of January 2023[update], Plants of the World Online accepted the following species.[3] In the list, they have been separated into sections.[4][5]
| Subgenus | Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilocopiapoa (F.Ritter) Doweld—Ritter |  | Copiapoa solaris (F.Ritter) F.Ritter | Chile (Antofagasta to NW. Atacama) |
 | Copiapoa australis (Hoxey) Helmut Walter & Larridon | Chile (Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa laui Diers | Chile (Antofagasta to NW. Atacama) | |
| Mammillopoa Helmut Walter & Larridon |  | Copiapoa humilis (Phil.) Hutchison | Chile (Antofagasta). |
| Copiapoa sect. Cinerei |  | Copiapoa ahremephiana N.P.Taylor & G.J.Charles | Chile (W. & SW. Antofagasta). |
 | Copiapoa gigantea Backeb. | Chile (Antofagasta to N. Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa cinerea (Phil.) Britton & Rose | Chile (Antofagasta to Atacama) | |
| Copiapoa sect. Copiapoa |  | Copiapoa angustiflora Helmut Walter, G.J.Charles & Mächler | Chile (SW. Antofagasta) |
 | Copiapoa aphanes Mächler & Helmut Walter | Chile (SW. Antofagasta) | |
 | Copiapoa atacamensis Middled. | Chile (Antofagasta to NW. Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa calderana F.Ritter | Chile (Antofagasta to Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa cinerascens (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to NW. Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa decorticans N.P.Taylor & G.J.Charles | Chile (Antofagasta to Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa desertorum F.Ritter | Chile (Antofagasta to NW. Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa esmeraldana F.Ritter | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to NW. Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa grandiflora F.Ritter | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to NW. Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa hypogaea F.Ritter | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to NW. Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa leonensis I.Schaub & Keim | Chile (Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa longispina F.Ritter | Chile (Atacama) | |
 | Copiapoa longistaminea F.Ritter | Chile. | |
 | Copiapoa marginata (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose | Chile (SW. Atacama to NW. Coquimbo) | |
 | Copiapoa megarhiza Britton & Rose | Chile (Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa mollicula F.Ritter | Chile (Atacama to NW. Coquimbo). | |
 | Copiapoa montana F.Ritter | Chile (SW. Antofagasta) | |
 | Copiapoa rupestris F.Ritter | Chile (Antofagasta). | |
 | Copiapoa serpentisulcata F.Ritter | Chile (SW. Antofaga to NW. Atacama). | |
 | Copiapoa taltalensis (Werderm.) Looser | Chile (SW. Antofagasta). | |
| Echinopoa Doweld | | Copiapoa algarrobensis Katt. | Chile (Atacama) |
 | Copiapoa coquimbana (Karw. ex Rümpler) Britton & Rose | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to Coquimbo) | |
| Copiapoa corralensis I.Schaub & Keim | Chile (Atacama) | ||
 | Copiapoa echinoides (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose | Chile (Atacama to NW. Coquimbo). | |
 | Copiapoa fiedleriana (K.Schum.) Backeb. | Chile (SW. Antofagasta to NW. Coquimbo) | |
| Copiapoa fusca I.Schaub & Keim | Chile (Atacama). | ||
 | Copiapoa malletiana (Cels ex Salm-Dyck) Backeb. | Chile (Atacama) | |
| Copiapoa pendulina F.Ritter | Chile (Coquimbo) | ||
| Copiapoa schulziana I.Schaub & Keim | Chile (Atacama). | ||
See also
- Copiapó (the largest city of the Atacama region)
- Pan de Azúcar National Park
