The Yareta (Azorella compacta) is an extremely long-lived cushion plant from the umbellifer family, which grows in the high Andes of South America. It thrives at altitudes of between 3,000 and 5,000 metres in the barren, rocky regions of the Puna. The plant forms dense, hard, cushion-like mats of tiny leaves, which grow extremely slowly and can live for several millennia. Thanks to its compact form and resin-rich structure, it is perfectly adapted to extreme cold, drought and intense sunlight. - In the background, the Yucamana volcano (5,508 m) in the province of Tacna. – Peru – 1976
The Yareta (Azorella compacta) is an extremely long-lived cushion plant from the umbellifer family, which grows in the high Andes of South America. It thrives at altitudes of between 3,000 and 5,000 metres in the barren, rocky regions of the Puna. The plant forms dense, hard, cushion-like mats of tiny leaves, which grow extremely slowly and can live for several millennia. Thanks to its compact form and resin-rich structure, it is perfectly adapted to extreme cold, drought and intense sunlight. - In the background, the Yucamana volcano (5,508 m) in the province of Tacna. – Peru – 1976