Origin and Habitat: Chanaralillo, Chile
Altitude: 400-500m (200 m)

• Copiapoa militaris Kníže

• Copiapoa coquimbana (Karw. ex Rümpler) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus coquimbanus Karw. ex Rümpler
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. alticostata (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa alticostata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. armata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. imbricata Kníže
• Copiapoa imbricata KK102 El Molle Kníže
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. pendulina (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. pendulina (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa pendulina F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. pseudocoquimbana (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. pseudocoquimbana (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana vallenarensis (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. vallenarensis (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa vallenarensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. wagenknechtii F.Ritter
• Copiapoa neocoquimbana var. wagenknechtii (F.Ritter) Y.Itô
• Copiapoa wagenknechtii F.Ritter ex Backeb.
• Copiapoa militaris Kníže
• Copiapoa neocoquimbana Y.Itô
• Copiapoa pepiniana (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Backeb.
• Cereus pepinianus Lem. ex Salm-Dyck
• Copiapoa pepiniana (K.Schum. non Lem.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
• Echinocactus pepinianus Cels ex Salm-Dyck
• Neoporteria pepiniana (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Borg
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. chaniarensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. domeykoensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa domeykoensis Kníže
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana f. variegata hort.
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. vulgata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa serenana M.Voldan

Description: Copiapoa militarisSN|1348]]SN|23904]] is particularly strong spined form referable to Copiapoa coquimbanaSN|1348]]SN|1348]] var. pseudocoquimbana (or Copiapoa coquimbanaSN|23904]]SN|1348]] var. pendulina).
Habit: Caespitose, with a turnip-like root.
Stems: Elongated-globose 20-30 cm high, 5-15 cm across, pale to bright green and covered with copious white wool at the apex, particularly at flowering time.
Ribs: There about 11-13 tuberculate ribs with a rounded, raised edge and a wide base.
Areoles: Apical, 5-8 mm in diameter, depressed or convex, covered with short wool when young, later glabrous about 0,5-0,8 cm, 2 cm apart.
Radial spines: 8-10 fairly slender or slightly curved horizontal, dark amber, brown or black becoming grey with age.
Central spines: Absent or one or two thicker up to 3 cm long.
Roots: Roots-strong, long, thick, narrower at top.
Flowers: Campanulate 3 cm long and grow from the centre of the white wool at the apex. Outer segments of the perianth are linear and greenish; inner segments are wide, blunt and yellow suffused in red.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Schulz R., (2006). “Copiapoa 2006” Schulz Publishing.
2) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
3) Friedrich Ritter - Kakteen in Südamerika (Ergebnisse meiner 20jährigen Feldforschungen) 1980
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006

Cultivation and Propagation: In cultivation it is relatively easy but very slow growing. Sometimes it is grafted to avoid root rot problems. Suited for airy exposures.
Soil: It needs a particularly well-draining soil mix (rot prone).
Exposure: It need full sun but should be protected from excessive heat and sun in summer.
Water: Water sparingly as it is susceptible to over-watering. Keep dry in winter.
Frost Tolerance: Keep warm and dry in winter to avoid rot. It needs mild heat in winter, avoid any frost. But a plant kept perfectly dry can survive at winter night-time temperatures below 0° C for short periods.
Pests & diseases: Copiapoa militarisSN|23904]]SN|23904]] is especially prone to rot, therefore, underpot in a smaller container filled with very porous compost.
Propagation: Seeds, offsets or graft. Seeds can be sown in the spring or summer. The seedlings should not be disturbed until they are well rooted, after which they can be planted separately in small pots. Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection.