HOOCK, H. 1993 . Kakt. and. Sukk. Band: 44 Heft (10) Seite 212-215 Entdeckt, verloren, wiedergefunden: Astrophytum myriostigma LEMAIRE bei der Mine von San Rafael, San Luis Potosi
HOOCK, H. 1998 . Cactussen (Belgien) Band: 11 Heft (6) Seite 92-95 Tijdschrift voor Liefhebbers van Vetplanten Kamerplant Ontdekt, verloren, weergevonden: Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire bij de mijn van San Rafael, San Luis Potosi
Discovered, lost and found again: Astrophytum myriostigma Lem. at the Mine of San Rafael, SLP
The old, exited mine town of San Rafael in the southern San Luis Potosi, Mexico I had imagined actually quite different. As I reach her on Tuesday 15.1.1991 in the morning I expect dilapidated wood buildings, overgrown mining debris mounds and gallery, how they are so characteristic for the historical gold-digger settlements in the American west. The remains of San Rafael are not so: it is an extensive sea of debris of formerly solid stone constructions. The roofs and the upper gable parts of the houses have collapsed, thick bushes grow inside the walls in the meantime. The earlier streets and lanes can be divined at the formation of the vegetation, which were populated around the turn of the century of over one thousand people. Nobody else lives here today...
Dr. Carl Albert Purpus went in 1910 to the flourishing mine town of San Rafael on one of his extensive plants-collecting journeys. Obviously he used the near situated railroad track San Luis Potosi - Tampico to come from his residence, the Hacienda Miredor near Huatusco, Vera Cruz, into this area. He had similarly gone in the north of Mexico to remote places like here already earlier where he collected unknown or rare plants for T.S. Brandegee. At excursions of Purpus to the surroundings of the mine still remind till today names like Echeveria lutea rose, Ferocactus echidne D.C. Britton & Rose (F. rafaelensis J.A. Purpus), Mammillaria dumetorum J.A. Purpus, M. pilispina J.A. Purpus and Pachyphytum oviferum J.A. Purpus. His brother Joseph Anton reports in 1911 about Astrophytum myriostigma in the magazine "Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde", a plant which Carl Albert found near San Rafael and in the mountains of the Sierra de Tablas. It is an astonishing, hardly explicable fact that the habitat near the location Minas de San Rafael was forgotten completely after the visit of Purpus (1). For almost half a century the place remained missing and no botanist or plant enthusiast could find it again.
To win a summary of the mine field, my son and I exit the ruins in the basin accompanied by our Mexican friends, scaling one of the adjacent "Cerritos" (2). The vegetation is stamped by an open dry bush which grows between lime rock with humus storages. We find Mammillaria candida Scheidweiler, M. depressa Scheidweiler (M. uncinata Zuccarini ex Pfeiffer), M. decipiens Scheidweiler and also other cacti, but unfortunately no Astrophytums however. The formation of the rock and the erosion of it aren't particularly characteristic for the habitats of this genus. However, it is more a feeling because of my experiences which can hardly be justified. After about three hours we give up the vain search here and take Purpus "at the word". After his statement the Myriostigmas grow "nearby" the mine of San Rafael. We drive with our all-terrain vehicle for normal cars hardly passable ways several miles north to the Sierra el Tablon (3).
It is already in the afternoon when we find the first 'Purpus' Myriostigmas at cloudless sky and over 30 degrees centigrade in the shade. They are hidden partly in the light undergrowth of the acacias on a hill extremely thick overgrown with bushes, however they are mainly at the margin of Hechtia islands. They aren't different in the disposition of these at Charco Blanco, Villar, Cerritos or the railway station of Las Tablas. All forms, rib numbers and fleck-variations are represented within this population. Although half-nude and nude Astrophytum myriostigma occur preferential elsewhere at a thick ground growth, there are also single, empty-standing specimens of this. They and the other plants are typically 5 to 7-ribbed, only if they were damaged by eating animals they show many-ribbed shoots. At their sight I remember the statement of Purpus, that the Myriostigmas of this area often grow in "multi-headed clusters". So already in 1910 an intensive pastoral agriculture in the southern runners of the Sierra El Tablon might have exist.
Astrophytum myriostigma at the mine of San Rafael corresponds to the plants in growth and phenomenon which discovered Galeotti in 1838 near the Hacienda San Lazaro (4). In connection with this, Schumann also mentions the Hacienda de Penasco near the city San Luis Potosi in his "Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen" as a habitat. This is highly probably a mistake: in fact, 1838 lived Galeotti on this nobility seat and collected in this area cacti, but no Astrophytums (5). The most southern habitat for Myriostigmas might nevertheless approximately, however lie with Candido Navarro east of Penasco, on this geographical breadth. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the plants there on the following day although correct field notes of an earlier find were at our disposal. This was nevertheless also an unforgettable day in the midst of a powerful nature scenery from lime terraces, lined by volcano cones.
Like at all beautiful places of the world, also at San Rafael and in the mountains of the Sierra el Tablon time passes much too fast. With a valuable figure collection in the camera and "in the head", but without plants in the baggage!, we drive via stick and stone to Cd. Juarez. On the smooth journey over the asphalt road back to the capital San Luis Potosi starting there, it can wonderfully be dreamt of Myriostigmas, old mine towns and historical places as a con-driver.
Remarks and footnotes in the article:
(1) This circumstance is so remarkable because Britton & Rose 1937 in volume 2 of their work "The Cactaceae" on page 183 C.A. quote Purpus and write: "...The more greenish lower form is abundant in the Sierra La Tabla, near Guascama or Minas de San Rafael, San Luis Potosi... ". The place Guascama is marked on several contemporary as well as modern maps.
(2) Cerro means mountain; Cerrito means hill. The railroad station where Purpus presumably arrived from, bears the characteristic name "Cerritos" (hills). On the hills which actually surround the charming small town lovely Astrophytums are still found despite wild garbage mounds.
(3) The change of name of this mountain range north-western of San Rafael from former times
Sierra de Tablas (synonymous Sierra la Tabla) into today's Sierra el Tablon may be the reason that the old Purpus location was lost. One finds the present name only in very special maps. Frequently the Sierra de Tablas is mixed up with the railroad station Las Tablas where also Myriostigmas grow.
(4) Most probable the place with today's name of San Lorenzo at the federal road no. 57 whose geographical position corresponds to Schumann's details.
(5) The foundation of the Hacienda Penasco dates on about 1600. It changed repeatedly the owner until Francisco de Mora y Luna bought it in 1753. He maximized the Hacienda considerably and gave her the definite name by his appointment as count of Santa Maria de Guadalupe de Penasco. For almost 200 years the Hacienda remained in this family. Galeotti met the property so when he collected plants there at 1830.
Photos and figures:
Astrophytum myriostigma, various forms, Minas de San Rafael
survey over the mine
habitat map
survey map
climate at Cerritos
photos of the Hacienda de Penasco
articles
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