Copiapoa cinerea subsp. krainziana

Stems and spine covering

The plant branches into loose clumps. Stems reach about 20 cm in diameter and have a less pronounced wax covering. A single areole may bear up to about 30 spines up to 3.5 cm long. They are thin, flexible, straight or curved, and range in colour from whitish and grey to black. [Larridon et al. 2018, description of subsp. krainziana]

The dense covering can obscure the surface of the upper stem. In the taxonomic key, this is an important feature distinguishing the subspecies from forms of C. cinerea with shorter, sparser spines. The difference is assessed together with branching and plant provenance. [Larridon et al. 2018]

Range and status

The 2018 account associates this subspecies with a restricted area of hills near Taltal in Chile. In POWO's current treatment, it remains part of C. cinerea. Synonyms include C. krainziana and C. cinerea var. krainziana. [Larridon et al. 2018] [2-WWW]

Variation within the cinerea group

The subspecies belonged to the complex assessed in the study of chloroplast markers, microsatellites and distribution. Comparison of the data showed that the degree of morphological and genetic differentiation depends on the feature and markers considered. Recognition of the subspecies preserves an identifiable combination of features within the more broadly circumscribed C. cinerea. [Larridon et al. 2018]