The Andinian desert extends from west to north, it includes the region of the Puna. The altitude, the rocky soil and the differences of temperature, the shortage of rainfalls and the strong winds cause a desolated aspect in the Puna. There are some shrubs only in the areas where there are valleys or poor rivers. There are hard grasses and week shrubs full of thorns. There are:
- Puna grass or Ichu of rigid and pointed leaves
- Rica-Rica; aromatic herb which is valuable as fire wood and its medicinal power.
- Tola or Chacha it has up to a meter high.
- Yareta which is hard and of a dark green color, it is resinous.
- Cuerno de Cabra : it has underground trunk, it is a flammable material used by the communities of the Puna.
- Añagua: it is a thorny shrub.
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The Forest of Tucuman-Oranense covers a narrow fringe of 700 km, it extends from the border of Bolivia up to the province of Tucuman. It develops mainly in the provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Tucuman. The vegetation is of great exuberance. In this fringe, while climbing the slopes of the sierras the temperature diminishes. For this reason, there are different kinds of vegetation which adapts to the difference of temperature.. It is warm at the bottom, moderate in the middle and cold in the higher zones. The vegetation is divided into the zones above described:
- Cebil area
- Laurel and Tipa area
- Alder tree and prairie area
Cebil area: at the bottom of the sierras, the species are the cebil, paracara or timbo, viraro(the tree whose value is great in Argentina, urundel, palo blanco and tarco.
Laurel and Tipa area: it is at 1,200 and 1,400 m high. The characteristic species are the tipa, laurel, cedar of Salta, cedar of Tucuman, Creole oak, pink and yellow lapacho and god tree from Salta.
Alder tree and prairie area: it is developed at 1,200/1,400 and 2,500m. The altitude and the lower temperature influence on the vegetation, the forest becomes poorer and new species which survive in cold weather appear. The dominant specie is the alder tree, other species are the pine of the mounts and the quenoa.
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