Flora and vegetation of the province of Huamanga (Ayacucho-Peru)

Abstract

The flora and vegetation of the province of Huamanga (Peru) was studied, with the purpose of knowing the diversity of species, plant formations, as well as the endemicity and degree of threat of the registered species. Intensive botanical collections were carried out in the vegetal formations and different altitudinal floors, through transects and in different directions, considering the city of Ayacucho as the starting point. 864 species belonging to 454 genera and 108 families were identified among trees, shrubs and herbs. 91 families, 371 genera and 705 species of the Class Magnoliopsida and 17 families with 83 genera and 159 species of the Class Liliopsida. The most represented families, Asteraceae 155 species, followed by Poaceae 98 and Papilionaceae with 44, respectively. The most dominant genera were Senecio with 23 species, Calceolaria 15, Baccharis 14, Solanum 12, Plantago 9, Lupinus, Peperomia and Urtica 8 species each. 60% were herbaceous, followed by arboreal 13% and shrub 11% and the others in smaller percentage. The vegetal formations that exist in the zone of study are the Tunales, Algarrobales, Monte ribereño, Titankales, Quiñuales, Bofedales, Cesped de puna and mixed communities. The distribution of the species according to the altitudinal levels is 30% in the lower part, 28% in the middle part and 27% in the upper part. Only 2% is widely distributed in the three sectors, while in two sectors: Low - Medium 5% and Medium - High 8%. Forty-eight species were found to be threatened, comprising 42 genera and 33 families. Critically Endangered 9 species, Endangered 8, Vulnerable 17. In addition, 20 endemic species were recorded, the Family Asteraceae and Cactaceae with 6 species, followed by Berberidaceae 4, the others with 2 and 1 species respectively.

Keywords

• flora and vegetation
• plant formations
• endemic species
• grassland
• bofedal
• xerophytic vegetation.