Puya raimondii
Encyclopedia
Puya Raimondi, also known as Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii) is an endemic
species of the altoandina zone of Bolivia
and Peru
, found at an altitude of 3200 – 4800 m. It was the French scientist Alcide d'Orbigny
(1802–1857) who was the first non-native person to discover it in 1830 in the region of Vacas
in Cochabamba Department
in Bolivia at an altitude of 3960 m (12,992 ft). The name of the Puya Raimondi commemorates the Italian scientist Antonio Raimondi
(1826–1890), who resided in Peru for many years and made wide botanical explorations there. He discovered this species later in Peru in the region of Chavín de Huantar
and published it as Pourretia gigantea in El Perú
, Volume 1, Page 297 . In 1928 the name was changed to Puya Raimondii Harms by the German botanists Hermann Harms
(1870–1942).
This plant has a gigantic inflorescence
. It reaches up to 10 m height, with more than three thousand flowers and six million seeds in each plant. Its biological cycle is approximately 40 years.
One planted near sea level at the University of California Botanical Garden
, USA, in 1958 grew to 7,6 m (24 ft 11) in and bloomed as early as August 1986 after only 28 years. It is not only the largest of the Puya
species, but also the largest Bromeliad. It can reach 3 m tall in vegetative growth, with a flower spike 9–10 m tall. Like most Bromeliads, it dies soon after flowering. It is considered to be an endangered species. Seeds were collected of P. raimondii in 1999 and 2000 of the rodales of Huashta Cruz (district Pueblo Libre, Ancash region
, Peru), near the city of Caraz. It is also known to grow in the Masma Chicche District
of Jauja Province
.
Only 45 km West from Caraz (Ancash - Peru) at 4200m above sea level, at Huashta Cruz, on the Cordillera Negra, there is a "rodal" of Puyas, with an impressive 145 km view of the Cordillera Blanca. The place it's known as "Huinchus" as the presence of the (Patagona Gigas) giant colibri, it's often spotted here. In the area of Catac
in Peru there are lots of the famous Puyas Raimondi. On August 10, 2009, these plants were clearly shown signs of an imminent blooming stage. These plants are mainly located in the spacious forests from three important places of Ancash: the gully of Ingenio in Catac
, the punas of Cajamarquilla
and the gully of Queshque, also in Catac
.
In Bolivia - apart from Vacas Municipality
where these plants are spread on an area of about 1 km² - the only other place to find the Puya Raimondi is Comanche mountain in Caquiaviri Canton, Caquiaviri Municipality, Pacajes Province
, La Paz Department .
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
species of the altoandina zone of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, found at an altitude of 3200 – 4800 m. It was the French scientist Alcide d'Orbigny
Alcide d'Orbigny
Alcide Charles Victor Marie Dessalines d'Orbigny was a French naturalist who made major contributions in many areas, including zoology , palaeontology, geology, archaeology and anthropology....
(1802–1857) who was the first non-native person to discover it in 1830 in the region of Vacas
Vacas Municipality
Vacas Municipality is the second municipal section of the Arani Province in the Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. Its capital is Vacas known as the "Land of the potato"...
in Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
in Bolivia at an altitude of 3960 m (12,992 ft). The name of the Puya Raimondi commemorates the Italian scientist Antonio Raimondi
Antonio Raimondi
Antonio Raimondi was a prominent Italian-born Peruvian geographer and scientist. Born in Milan, Raimondi emigrated to Peru, arriving on July 28, 1850 at the port of Callao. In 1851 he became a professor of natural history...
(1826–1890), who resided in Peru for many years and made wide botanical explorations there. He discovered this species later in Peru in the region of Chavín de Huantar
Chavín de Huantar
Chavín de Huántar is an archaeological site containing ruins and artifacts constructed beginning at least by 1200 BCE and occupied by later cultures until around 400-500 BCE by the Chavín, a major pre-Inca culture. The site is located north of Lima, Peru, at an elevation of , east of the...
and published it as Pourretia gigantea in El Perú
El Perú (book)
El Perú: Itinerarios de Viajes is an expansive written work covering a variety of topics in the natural history of Peru, written by the prominent Italian-born Peruvian geographer and scientist Antonio Raimondi in the latter half of the 19th century...
, Volume 1, Page 297 . In 1928 the name was changed to Puya Raimondii Harms by the German botanists Hermann Harms
Hermann Harms
Hermann August Theodor Harms was a German taxonomist and botanist. In 1938 he revised the pitcher plant genus Nepenthes, dividing it into three subgenera: Anurosperma, Eunepenthes and Mesonepenthes....
(1870–1942).
This plant has a gigantic inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
. It reaches up to 10 m height, with more than three thousand flowers and six million seeds in each plant. Its biological cycle is approximately 40 years.
One planted near sea level at the University of California Botanical Garden
University of California Botanical Garden
The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34 acre botanical garden located on the University of California, Berkeley campus. The Garden is in the campus's Strawberry Canyon which overlooks the San Francisco Bay...
, USA, in 1958 grew to 7,6 m (24 ft 11) in and bloomed as early as August 1986 after only 28 years. It is not only the largest of the Puya
Puya (genus)
Puya is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. These terrestrial plants are native to the Andes Mountains of South America and southern Central America...
species, but also the largest Bromeliad. It can reach 3 m tall in vegetative growth, with a flower spike 9–10 m tall. Like most Bromeliads, it dies soon after flowering. It is considered to be an endangered species. Seeds were collected of P. raimondii in 1999 and 2000 of the rodales of Huashta Cruz (district Pueblo Libre, Ancash region
Huaylas Province
-Political division:Huaylas is divided into ten districts, which are:-External links:...
, Peru), near the city of Caraz. It is also known to grow in the Masma Chicche District
Masma Chicche District
Masma Chicche District is one of thirty-four districts of the province Jauja in Peru.-References:...
of Jauja Province
Jauja Province
Jauja Province is a Peruvian province. It is one of the nine provinces that forms the Junín Region. To the north it borders with the provinces of Yauli, Tarma and Chanchamayo; to the east with the Province of Satipo, to the south with the Province of Concepción and to the west with the Region of Lima...
.
Only 45 km West from Caraz (Ancash - Peru) at 4200m above sea level, at Huashta Cruz, on the Cordillera Negra, there is a "rodal" of Puyas, with an impressive 145 km view of the Cordillera Blanca. The place it's known as "Huinchus" as the presence of the (Patagona Gigas) giant colibri, it's often spotted here. In the area of Catac
Catac District
Catac District is one of ten districts of the province Recuay in Peru.-References:...
in Peru there are lots of the famous Puyas Raimondi. On August 10, 2009, these plants were clearly shown signs of an imminent blooming stage. These plants are mainly located in the spacious forests from three important places of Ancash: the gully of Ingenio in Catac
Catac District
Catac District is one of ten districts of the province Recuay in Peru.-References:...
, the punas of Cajamarquilla
Cajamarquilla District
Cajamarquilla District is one of ten districts of the province Ocros in Peru.-References:...
and the gully of Queshque, also in Catac
Catac District
Catac District is one of ten districts of the province Recuay in Peru.-References:...
.
In Bolivia - apart from Vacas Municipality
Vacas Municipality
Vacas Municipality is the second municipal section of the Arani Province in the Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. Its capital is Vacas known as the "Land of the potato"...
where these plants are spread on an area of about 1 km² - the only other place to find the Puya Raimondi is Comanche mountain in Caquiaviri Canton, Caquiaviri Municipality, Pacajes Province
Pacajes Province
Pacajes is a province in the Bolivian department of La Paz. Its capital is Coro Coro.- Subdivision :The province is divided into eight municipalities which are further subdivided into cantons.- External links :*...
, La Paz Department .