Stenomesson in Peru

Stenomesson species in Peru

S.chloranthum
©2003 Leo A. Martin

I was in Peru June-July 2003, which is midwinter. At these elevations there is never frost but nights are cool, in the 40s F, and days into the 80s F.

The Stenomesson grew on steep hillsides in clay soils among small shrubs. Since it was winter, and all the rain falls in the summer, the shrubs were leafless and dormant. The plant is obviously hysteranthous.

StenomessonYellowSite.jpg was taken 180 degrees away and looking across the road from StenomessonYellow.jpg . It was near local sunset, and the plants were in the shadow of the mountains. The two other colors grew in exactly similar locales. All the shrubs were leafless and dormant; companion cacti were Espostoa and Armatocereus. The Stenomesson sites were lower than the Bomarea site [around 14,000 feet].

Leo A. Martin
Phoenix, Arizona, USA

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