Yareta

{{short description|Species of plant}} __NOTOC__{{Speciesbox |image = LLareta (Azorella compacte phil.).jpg |image_caption = in Lauca National Park, Chile |genus = Azorella |species = compacta |authority = Phil. }}

'''Yareta''' or '''llareta''' (in Spanish), known scientifically as '''''Azorella compacta''''', (historically '''''Azorella yareta''''') is a velvety, chartreuse cushion plant in the family Apiaceae which is native to South America. It grows in the Puna grasslands of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and western Argentina at altitudes between {{convert|3200|and|5250|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Image of Azorella compacta |url=http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH2013.htm |publisher=chileflora |access-date=28 October 2015}}</ref><ref name=Kleier>{{cite journal |last1=Kleier |first1=Catherine |last2=Rundel |first2=Philip W. |title=Microsite requirements, population structure and growth of the cushion plant Azorella compacta in the tropical Chilean Andes |journal=Austral Ecology |date=August 2004 |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=461–470 |doi=10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01386.x|bibcode=2004AusEc..29..461K }}</ref>

The name comes from ''yarita'' in the Quechua language.

==Description== thumb|left|250px|Distribution of flowersYareta is an evergreen perennial with a low, mat-like shape and hemispherical growth form that grows to around {{convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on}} in diameter.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pugnaire |first1=Francisco I. |last2=Morillo |first2=José A. |last3=Rodríguez-Echeverría |first3=Susana |last4=Gaxiola |first4=Aurora |title=Azorella compacta : survival champions in extreme, high-elevation environments |journal=Ecosphere |date=February 2020 |volume=11 |issue=2 |doi=10.1002/ecs2.3031 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020Ecosp..11E3031P }}</ref> The self-fertile, pink or lavender flowers are hermaphroditic and are primarily pollinated by small flies, bees, wasps, and moths.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=López-Sepúlveda |first1=Patricio |last2=Takayama |first2=Koji |last3=Greimler |first3=Josef |last4=Crawford |first4=Daniel J. |last5=Peñailillo |first5=Patricio |last6=Baeza |first6=Marcelo |last7=Ruiz |first7=Eduardo |last8=Kohl |first8=Gudrun |last9=Tremetsberger |first9=Karin |last10=Gatica |first10=Alejandro |last11=Letelier |first11=Luis |last12=Novoa |first12=Patricio |last13=Novak |first13=Johannes |last14=Stuessy |first14=Tod F. |date=2014-10-08 |title=Progressive migration and anagenesis in Drimys confertifolia of the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10265-014-0666-7 |journal=Journal of Plant Research |volume=128 |issue=1 |pages=73–90 |doi=10.1007/s10265-014-0666-7 |pmid=25292282 |pmc=4300435 |issn=0918-9440}}</ref>

The plant prefers sandy, well-drained soils. It can grow in nutritionally poor soils that are acidic, neutral or basic (alkaline) at altitudes of up to {{convert|5200|m|feet}}.<ref name=Kleier /> Yareta is well-adapted to high insolation rates typical of the Andes highlands and cannot grow in shade. The plant's leaves grow into an extremely compact, dense mat that reduces heat and water loss.<ref name=Wickens>{{cite journal |last1=Wickens |first1=G. E. |title=Llareta (Azorella Compacta, Umbelliferae): A review |journal=Economic Botany |date=April 1995 |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=207–212 |doi=10.1007/BF02862926 |bibcode=1995EcBot..49..207W |s2cid=37079723 |language=en |issn=0013-0001}}</ref> This mat grows near the ground where air temperature is one or two degrees Celsius higher than the mean air temperature. This temperature difference is a result of the longwave radiation re-radiated by the soil surface, which is usually dark gray to black in the Puna.<ref name=Wickens />

Yareta is estimated to grow approximately {{convert|1.5|cm|inch}} per year.<ref name=Kleier /> Many yaretas are estimated to be over 3,000 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/oldest-living-things/index.html|title=The oldest living things on Earth|first=Richard |last=Stenger|date=2019-11-28|website=CNN Travel|language=en|access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref> These oldest ones have been reported to grow as slowly as {{convert|1/18|in|mm|sp=us|abbr=off}} per year.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ralph |first=Carol P. |date=March 1978 |title=Observations on Azorella compacta (Umbelliferae) |journal=Biotropica |volume=10 |issue=1 |page= 62 plus photo p. 63 |doi=10.2307/2388107 |jstor= 2388107 }}</ref> Its very slow growth makes the traditional practice of harvesting it for fuel highly unsustainable.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/gallery/oldest-things/3 |title=See the world's oldest organisms}}</ref>{{clear left}}

==Gallery== <gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="187px"> File:Yareta 2.jpg|Plant in crevice in Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, Potosí, Bolivia File:Azorella compacta (8427860829).jpg|Close-up showing seeds File:Azorella compacta (yareta) en la Isla H, Ushuaia, Argentina.JPG|Texture of surface File:Yareta DSCN6066mod.jpg|Flowers </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Azorella compacta}} *[http://www.chilebosque.cl/shrb/acomp.html ''Azorella compacta'' pictures from Chile]

Category:Azorella Category:Flora of the Andes Category:Flora of Argentina Category:Flora of Bolivia Category:Flora of northern Chile Category:Flora of Peru