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Polylepis tarapacana, known in its native habitat by the Spanish common name queñoa de altura ('polylepis or queñoa of [high] altitude'), is a short tree or shrub which is found in small, scattered groupings along the mountainous borders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru (Western Cordillera). A part of the rose family, it grows at altitudes of 3,400–5,013 meters (11,200–16,400 ft).
Polylepis tarapacana is native to the Central Volcanic Zone in the western Andean cordillera in southern Peru, southwestern Bolivia, northern Chile, and nearby areas of Argentina. It grows at high elevations, only above 3,400 meters (11,200 ft), with the highest documented specimen found at 5,013 meters (16,447 ft), higher than any other species of tree. Reports of the species growing as high as 5,200 m (17,100 ft) have not been confirmed. It is most common at elevations of 4,820 m (15,810 ft) in Bolivia's Oruro Department, with the species becoming rare at higher elevations with individuals widely separated. The upper limit for the trees is similar to that of the Juniperus tibetica forests in Tibet at approximately 4,900 meters, with 3 meter tall trees found at 4,820 meters on Nevado Sajama. Night time temperatures during the dry season are frequently colder than −10 °C (14 °F), with the trees able to avoid injury down to about −20 °C (−4 °F).
Polylepis australis · Polylepis besseri · Polylepis crista-galli · Polylepis hieronymi · Polylepis incana · Polylepis lanuginosa · Polylepis microphylla · Polylepis multijuga · Polylepis neglecta · Polylepis pauta · Polylepis pepei · Polylepis racemosa
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Polylepis tarapacana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
