JEFF CHEMNICK

CSSA 2019 PRE-CONVENTION TOUR SOUTHERN THE CACTUS & SUCCULENT HOT-SPOTS OF AND

1. High desert panorama in the Cañada de Cuicatlán. Trip details nce again the CSSA Field Trip Committee has engaged Mexico • This is a pre-convention trip: priority registra- Nature Tours to organize and lead tion will be given to convention attendees. a pre-convention botanical eco- • All participants must be CSSA members or tour to southern Mexico, notably associate members with dues paid through the states of Oaxaca and Puebla; a 2019. You must have a passport valid through region of unparalleled scenic beauty the end of 2019 and necessary visa if required and diversity of cactus and succulents (Fig. 1). Featur- by citizenship. ing high deserts, island-mountains, isolated special- • Approximate dates are July 5–16, 2019 (12 ized habitats and a wealth of spectacular xerophytes, days total; 10 full days in the field). Our return this tour will be sure to please and fulfill everyone's to the U.S. will be on Tuesday, July 16, one day Obotanical fantasies! before the start of the convention on July 17. The marquee specialties we hope to see are • CSSA Field Trips are not collecting trips. All detailed below. Along the route we will encounter U.S. and Mexican laws and regulations must be such sought-after groups as: mammillarias, agaves, observed. echeverias, columnar cactus, beaucarneas, dasylirions, • Registration is limited to 18 participants (not cycads, tillandsias, hechtias, palms, fouquierias, yuccas, including guides, drivers, or support staff ) and and burseras-among many others. Moreover, a num- will be on a first-come, first-served basis. ber of roadside annuals, trees and shrubs will be in • Travel will be in a comfortable air-conditioned bloom and commonly seen. minibus and each participant can have a win- dow seat if desired. • Price: $4484 per person double occupancy; single occupancy supplement add $574 (single

56 CACTUS AND SUCCULENT JOURNAL occupancy may be limited to a first-come first- served basis depending on demand). • Price will cover: All lodging. All meals and beverages including welcome and farewell ban- quets. Many lunches will be in the field; these will consist of substantial but not elaborate field food. Gratuities for restaurant staff and local guides. Ground transportation, tolls, fuel, and airport transfers. All entry fees. A $200 donation/person to the CSSA. • Price will not include: Air travel to and from Oaxaca. Alcoholic beverages. Gratuities for botanical guides or drivers. Personal items. Trip insurance (recommended). 2. Meals in Oaxaca are famously delicious and always put a smile on everyone’s face. Arrival and departure will be through , Day 1. (Friday, July 5, 2019). Arrive in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico. We will explore cactus and succulent Oaxaca. Welcome Banquet at 7:30 PM (Fig 2). Night habitats in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Pueb- in Oaxaca. la. Tour operator and one of our botanical guides ay Travel to the world famous Cañada de will be Jeff Chemnick, owner of Mexico Nature D 2. Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve with stops to see Noli- Tours and leader of previous CSSA tours to Mexico na longifolia, Ferocactus macrodiscus, Mitrocereus fulvi- in 2010, 2015, and 2017. Jeff has been leading high- ceps, Tillandsia gigantea, Hechtia lyman-smithii, Agave ly acclaimed botanical tours in Mexico for 30 years, potatorum, Mammillaria haageana, M. carnea, Dasyl- and images from previous trips can be found online at irion serratifolium, Yucca periculosa, Bursera fagaroi- www.mexiconaturetours.com. In addition Greg Starr, des, B. morelensis, Mammillaria sphacelata, Ferocactus owner and operator of Starr Nursery and author of robustus, Isolatocereus dumortieri, Beaucarnea purpu- Agaves will be our other botanical guide. Greg has sii, Pilosocereus chrysacanthus, Euphorbia schlechtendal- assisted Mexico Nature Tours several times previously ii, Agave kerchovei, Pachycereus weberi, Escontria chio- and is not only one of the premier field botanists in tilla, Myrtillocactus schenckii, Stenocereus pruinosus, S. Mexico but is always popular with tour participants. stellatus, Neobuxbaumia tetetzo, Ceiba parvifolia, Plu- Note that aspects of this trip will be relatively rig- meria rubra, Coryphantha calipensis, Ferocactus recur- orous and challenging at times. We will be travelling vus, Opuntia huajuapensis, O. puberula, O. velutina, O. in a region of varied terrain and elevations. Although decumbens, Bursera aloexylon, B. linaloe, Ficus cotinifo- many of the plants will be within a short, easy hike lia, Dioon purpusii, Jacaratia mexicana. Night in Cui- from the vehicle, many choice species will be on steep catlán, Oaxaca. rocky slopes. Be aware of your own abilities to negoti- ate such conditions. Good balance and physical condi- tioning will be important. ITINERARY The itinerary will be subject to change both prior to departure and during the trip, depending on unforeseen circumstances. Note that there will be multiple plant stops in the field each day depending on travel distanc- es, floristic richness, weather, and other factors. Plants listed in the following itinerary are a few of the many likely possibilities and though they cannot be guar- anteed, they do serve as examples of the taxa likely to be seen during the trip. It is expected that we will see in excess of 120 taxa of cacti and other succulents. A detailed itinerary and plant list will be distributed prior 3. A remarkable hike takes us to a locality of Echeveria laui, shown here in bloom. to the start of the trip.

2018 VOLUME 90 NUMBER 4 57 4. Beaucarnea gracilis in Puebla. 5. Mammillaria karwinskiana in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca. Day 3. Cuicatlán to Teotitlán. In the heart of chende, Stenocereus hollianus, Echinocactus platyacanthus, the Cañada. From the Río Grande of the Cañada to Beaucarnea gracilis (Fig. 4), Myrtillocactus geometrizans, the Río Salado in Puebla state. Stops at various eleva- Yucca mixtecana, Brahea nitida, Brahea dulcis, Opuntia tions to see Mammillaria flavicentra, M. crucigera, M. depressa, Fouquieria ochoterenae, Ferocactus flavovirens. huitzilopochtli, M. mystax, Echeveria laui (Fig. 3), E. Night in , Oaxaca. nodulosa, Dioon califanoi, Dasylirion acrotrichum, Agave seemanniana, Agave "FO-76", Sedum versadense subsp. Day 6. The Mixteca Region of Western Oax- villadioides, Cephalocereus columna-trajani, Pachycereus aca. A day of different habitats; desert to elfin for- grandis, Echeveria multicaulis, E. pulvinata, Fouquieria est. Stops along the way to see Furcraea macdougalii, purpusii, Pedilanthus tehuacanus, Parkinsonia praecox, Sedum allantoides, S. hemsleyanum, S. compactum, Agave Fouquieria formosa. Night in Teotitlán Flores Magón, convallis, Ficus petiolaris, Agave petrophila, Pinguic- Oaxaca. ula moranensis, Mammillaria albilanata, M. solisioi- des, Coryphantha retusa, Pittocaulon (Senecio) praecox, Day 4. Teotitlán to Tehuacán. Low desert to Neobuxbaumia macrocephala, Pachycereus marginatus, high desert including "Derek's Hill on the border Dioon planifolium, Opuntia olmeca, Echeveria gigantea, with Veracruz state. Various stops for Agave salmiana, Sedum stahlii, Echeveria coccinea, Ferocactus haematacanthus, Coryphantha retusa, Mam- millaria mystax, M. napina (note: some of the species from the preceding day may be visited today instead depending on the tim- ing). Night in Tehuacán, Puebla. Day 5. Tehuacán to Santiago Cha- zumba. Travel through the Puebla half of the Cañada Biosphere Reserve (it's a huge reserve!) to see: Agave stricta, A. macroac- antha, A. peacockii, A. titanota, A. kercho- vei, A. marmorata, A. triangularis, Burs- era submoniliformis, B. aptera, B. arida, B. schlechtendalii, Ipomoea pauciflora, Opuntia olmeca, Sedum compactum, Villadia imbri- catum, Bursera cinerea, Echeveria purpuso- rum, Dioon caputoi, Mammillaria mystax, M. polyedra, Hylocereus undulatus, Polaskia 6. Mammillaria deherdtiana var. dodsonii high in the Sierra Norte

58 CACTUS AND SUCCULENT JOURNAL pecten-aboriginum, Opuntia puberula, Agave ghiesbrechtii, Jatropha oaxacana, Bombax ellipticum, Erythrina lana- ta, Cyrtopodium punctatum. Night in . Day 10. Cerro de las Flores loop. Always a crowd pleaser. Remarkable transect of habitats from desert to cloud forest. Among the plants to see: Hechtia marnier-lapostollei, H. lanata (Fig. 7), H. rosea, Agave , A. isthmensis, Cephalocereus apicicepha- lium, Eucnide hirta, Pereskia lychnidi- flora, Billbergia sp. Tillandsia caput- medusae, Peperomia crassiuscula, Dioon merolae, Dioscorea macrostachys, Epi- phyllum phyllanthus, Jatropha fremon- 7. Hechtia lanata, a range restricted favorite on Cerro de las Flores in tioides, Beaucarnea recurvata, Rhipsa- the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. lis baccifera, Equisetum gigantea, Agave Sedum dendroideum, S. pachyphyllum, Villadia (Altami- cremnophila, A. mitis, Furcraea pube- ranoa) ramosissima, Tillandsia prodigiosa. Night in scens, Ceratozamia sp. aff. robusta, Magnolia mexicana, Tamzulapan Echeveria olivacea. Night in Tehuantepec. Day 7. Back to the valley of Oaxaca and into Day 11. Drive back to Oaxaca via the Pan Amer- the Sierra Norte to see Agave karwinskii, A. atrovi- ica Isthmus Highway with several stops en route. An rens, Furcraea bedinghausii, Mammillaria rekoi, M. kar- earlier than usual arrival back will enable participants winskiana (Fig. 5), M. deherdtiana var. dodsonii (Fig. to prepare for departure the following day and per- 6), Sedum oaxacana, S. frutescens, Echeveria montana, E. haps get in a bit of souvenir shopping, mezcal tasting, gibbiflora, E. juarezensis, Opuntia pubescens, O. parvi- and sight-seeing in the old colonial center of the city. clada. Night in (ruins are optional). Night in Oaxaca. Day 8. Driving down to the Isthmus. We will Day 12. Transfer to the airport and adios! Back visit the Albarradas canyon north of Mitla then work to California and the CSSA Conference in San Luis our way down to sea level in the Isthmus. Along the Obispo … see cssaconvention.com for more details. way we'll look for: Cephalocereus totolapensis, Dioon sp. nov. Oaxaca, Nopalea auberi, Hechtia conzattiana, Til- Reservations are now being accepted. landsia xerographica, Echeveria moranii, Combretum fruticosum and a host of other forms of species we've Registration for this tour will be handled directly already encountered elsewhere. Night in Tehuantepec. by Jeff Chemnick of Mexico Nature Tours LLC. The deadline is March 1, 2019. To make your reservation, ay The Dry forest coast to the Macdougall D 9. please send a deposit of $500 per participant, with full Limestone Reserve. We'll start the day driving to the contact information (address, phone number, email Pacific Coast and then got to an amazing but small address) to: reserve of limestone outcropping loaded with endem- CSSA Mexico Field Trip 2019 ics. Plants we'll be looking for include: Cochlospermum c/o Jeff Chemnick vitifolium, Acanthocereus horridus, Melocactus sp., Sabal 114 Conejo Road, mexicana, Agave isthmensis, Agave sp. nov., Hechtia Santa Barbara, CA 93103 huamelulaensis, Nyctocereus oaxacensis, Enterolobium Make checks payable to Mexico Nature Tours cyclocarpum, Selenicereus testudo, S. coniflorus, Epiphyl- LLC. Contact Jeff directly for electronic bank transfer lum phyllanthus, Hylocereus, undatus, Mammillaria details. For further information on the logistical and/ voburnensis subsp. collinsii, Pilosocereus collinsii, Ceph- or botanical aspects of this trip, contact Jeff Chemnick alocereus nizandensis, Agave nizandensis, Tillandsia at the address above, call (805) 705-3397 or email nizandensis, Beaucarnea sanctomariana, Cephalocereus [email protected]

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