Copiapoa


Copiapoa is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, from the dry coastal deserts, particularly the Atacama Desert, of northern Chile. It comprises 32 morphologically defined species and 5 heterotypic subspecies. These species vary in form from spherical to slightly columnar and in color from a brownish to blue-green body. They have warty ribs and spiny areoles, and they usually produce tubular yellow flowers which grow from woolly crowns in summer.

Taxonomy

Pilocopiapoa F.Ritter has been brought into synonymy with this genus. Some authorities also include here the genus Blossfeldia.

Species

Clade I: Pilocopiapoa
Clade II: Mammillopoa
Clade IIIa: Cinerei
Clade IIIb: Copiapoa
Clade IV: Echinopoa