An explosive exposé of futher exploits! Violet alert!

Courtesy of Nicholas Elguero (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/View-of-the-volcano-Copahue-during-the-onset-of-the-December-2012-eruption-The-Villa_fig3_300471299)

 I stood at the very spot this picture was taken (see below) fortunately not when that picture was taken, however, in December of 2012: several important things to note: that was a very snowy year. My picture below was taken at the same time of year--note the absence of snow. Argentina has been undergoing an extreme drought much like much of the Western USA. But this blogpost has other fish to fry (so to speak), or violets to pluck as the case may be!

My picture taken on December 7 this year...at about 10AM if you must know.

 Do look back and forth between these two shots, taken exactly 9 years apart. Not only is there a radical difference in the amount of snow, just look how the city of Coviahue on the lake front has expanded! That brings something else to mind...

Don't move past this picture too quickly please! I know the large, seemingly empty plot of ground before you looks unpromising: mostly bare "dirt" as they say, and lots of red stuff (Rumex acetocella--or sorrel if you prefer: one of the most astonishingly Universal weeds throughout Patagonia growing literally by the trillion). But please note the white post that's slightly above and just right of center: THAT will be showing up again...below as a matter of fact!

That very post!

Verily I say unto you that's the very same post you saw in the third picture I posted. But it's not the stick I want you to note...look towards the bottom of the picture...let's take a closer look!

You might think it's a Lithops at first blush, or some strange spineless cactus like Blossfeldia or Aztekium or maybe even Epithelantha? Wrong on all counts: check the next image for a better view...

Here it is looking from the vantage point of the post! The Fibonacci symmetry of revolute leaves should give away that this is none other than one of the quasi-mythical rosulate violets that rock gardeners in particular dote over. Violets grow the world over, but only in South America, and more especially on and along the foothills of the Andes are where dozens of species occur--many of them excruciatingly rare and tantalizingly hard to find. What THIS picture doesn't show is that the seemingly vacant lot beyond is chockablock full of the little munchkins!

I'll be showing you a selection of the violets growing here--but notice the strange object on the right--a tip of Araucaria branch...see below

The very same plot of land looking towards the mountains on the left, where a fantastic forest of Araucaria araucana soon commences--a few stragglers have remained in Coviahue--who knows for how long? Notice my companions to the right: I imagine the eight of us probably took many hundreds of pictures in this doomed little piece of paradise (philosophizing left to the end): now--just sit back, or rather, just scroll down at a random series of pictures of Viola pachysoma--one of the most remarkable creatures on the planet!

Not sure why this one has multiple heads: perhaps it was stepped on as a child?

Most are brownish in coloration, but quite a few were sea-green like these...wonder why?

I was fascinated by the tall ones like this: this used to be lumped with Viola columnaris--a species found in different habitats a ways from here. I like that name better than "fat body" which is what pachysoma is in Greek.

There were dozens of clumps like this all over the plot of ground...or should I say plat? It is apparent that this whole area will soon be wall to wall condos, hotels, shops--you name it. Anything but wildflowers. We did see this violet at quite a few other locations, including on the volcano above the town of Copahue where it was still in bloom (these were all going to seed--little balls tucked between the fat little leaves). I'll end with some of the ones we found blooming to cheer you up!

I may have shown this one in the blog I did a few days ago about the amazing hybrids between Viola pachysoma and V. cotyledon that occur in these parts of Patagonia...I still wonder if it doesn't have a little "V. cotyledon" genes in it--the flower is a bit big..

This one is more like it: I realize that ski towns all over the globe obliterate wonderful wildflowers in order to accommodate us humans. I think we've gone way too far! I was extremely impressed with the magnificence of Patagonia--steppes and mountains both! And the wise, kind people. Their extraordinary ski towns reminded me of Steamboat and Aspen--only DECADES ago. COVID has perhaps stalled the inevitable Californication that's smearing so much of the Rocky Mountain and Intermountain region with the second and third homes of plutocrats, endless condos. I-70 in Colorado occurs to me as a sort of interminable strip mall...

Naussavia lagascae

Gotcha! Not a violet at all, but a sublime daisy (it even smells like chocolate). You can see a sort of parallel evolution going on here (this was a stone's throw from "fat body" violas..)

We never knew the Glacier Lilies that were extinguished when Steamboat or Park City or Sun Valley were developed. Or any of the other hundreds or thousands of species that gave way so humans can speed over snow on parallel sticks. 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if instead of plunking yet another ticky tacky building on this still vacant lot, instead what if they turned it into a "Rosulate" park, with board walks to be sure the tourists who flock here in the future don't trample our little treasures...

The likelihood is infinitely small... but I toss the idea out there, into the ozone! Perhaps some day far hence some young Argentines will read this blog post and think "I wish our Grandparents had listened to that old gringo!"