Atacameno

Description

Copiapoa atacamensis is a species of cactus from the Atacama Desert in the province of Antofagasta in northern Chile.Its relationship with other species of Copiapoa, such as C. calderana, are unclear as of April 2012. Copiapoa atacamensis is a globose cactus, either solitary or clump-forming. Its stems are gray-green with a whitish bloom and are up to 12 cm (5 in) across with 12–16 ribs. The overall appearance is very spiny. There is a single straight central spine to each areole, 33–38 mm (1.3–1.5 in) long, and five to seven more slender radial spines, 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long. The fragrant yellow flowers open widely and are 3–3.5 cm (1.2–1.4 in) long. They are followed by green to rose coloured fruits. Growing in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world, it has a taproot which is considerably longer than the stem and is used for storing water.