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Azorella compacta

Azorella compacta

Phil. 1891
Yareta

Family: Apiaceae
Order: Apiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Description


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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 3200 and.

The name comes from yarita in the Quechua language.

 Yareta is an evergreen perennial with a low, mat-like shape and hemispherical growth form that grows to around 6 m in diameter. The self-fertile, pink or lavender flowers are hermaphroditic and are primarily pollinated by small flies, bees, wasps, and moths.

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 5200 m. 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. 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.

Yareta is estimated to grow approximately per year. Many yaretas are estimated to be over 3,000 years old. These oldest ones have been reported to grow as slowly as per year. Its very slow growth makes the traditional practice of harvesting it for fuel highly unsustainable.

Source: Wikipedia, article Azorella compacta. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 15

Foto
Photography ID: 708381
  Adult

Laguna Brava
La Rioja
Argentina
04/12/1998
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 708380
  Adult

Laguna Brava
La Rioja
Argentina
04/12/1998
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 708379
  Adult

Reserva Laguna Brava
La Rioja
Argentina
04/12/1998
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 708378
  Adult

Reserva Laguna Brava
La Rioja
Argentina
04/11/1998
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 674811
  Adult

San Carlos
Mendoza
Argentina
04/07/2012
Manuel Godoy
Foto
Photography ID: 665037
  Adult

El Infiernillo
Tucumán
Argentina
12/17/2025
Diego Carus
Foto
Photography ID: 633964
  Adult

Famatina
La Rioja
Argentina
05/08/2025
Federico Carlos Izasa
Foto
Photography ID: 632040
  Adult

Santa Ana de Valle Grande
Jujuy
Argentina
04/08/2025
Diego Carus
Foto
Photography ID: 584964
  Adult

Famatina
La Rioja
Argentina
02/10/2013
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 466537
  Adult

Famatina
La Rioja
Argentina
11/21/2011
Ramón Vera



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Species reports



 Detail of places sorted by number of records






Species records

Count: 16



Page 1 of 2
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
240669617/12/2025ArgentinaTucumánQuebrada del río Churqui, El InfiernilloMaria Belén Dri
240586617/12/2025ArgentinaTucumánQuebrada del río Churqui, El InfiernilloDiego Carus
228637308/05/2025ArgentinaLa RiojaTres Piedras, FamatinaFederico Carlos Izasa
227909908/04/2025ArgentinaJujuySanta Ana de Valle GrandeMaria Belén Dri
227907408/04/2025ArgentinaJujuySanta Ana de Valle GrandeDiego Carus
178259222/12/2019ArgentinaTucumánLagunas de Huaca Huasi, Parque Provincial Cumbres CalchaquíesDiego Carus
172803622/12/2019ArgentinaTucumánLagunas de Huaca Huasi, Parque Provincial Cumbres CalchaquíesMaria Belén Dri
141990625/01/2019ArgentinaMendozaProximidades de Las Leñas, MalargüeHugo Alberto Valderrey
219067910/02/2013ArgentinaLa RiojaTres Piedras, Departamento FamatinaRamón Vera
140945710/02/2013ArgentinaLa RiojaTres Piedras, FamatinaRamón Vera
Page 1 of 2

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Azorella compacta – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 09/10/2026.