Ocoa Valley

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The Ocoa Valley is a landform in central Chile located by the La Campana National Park. This valley is a locus where considerable archaeological recovery has taken place, [1] yielding considerable finds of pre-European contact period. According to Dallman and Hogan, some of the greatest stands of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis are found on the slopes of La Campana that rise up from the Ocoa Valley. [2]

Landform A natural feature of the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body

A landform is a natural feature of the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is known as topography. Typical landforms include hills, mountains, plateaus, canyons, and valleys, as well as shoreline features such as bays, peninsulas, and seas, including submerged features such as mid-ocean ridges, volcanoes, and the great ocean basins.

Chile Republic in South America

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.

La Campana National Park national park in Chile

La Campana National Park is located in the Cordillera de la Costa, Quillota Province, in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. La Campana National Park and the Vizcachas Mountains lie northwest of Santiago. This national park covers approximately 80 square kilometres (31 sq mi) and is home to one of the last palm forests of Jubaea chilensis, which prehistorically had a much wider distribution than at present. Another attraction is the Cerro La Campana, which lends its name to the park. In 1834 Charles Darwin climbed this mountain, during the second voyage of HMS Beagle.

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<i>Jubaea</i>

Jubaea is a genus of palms with one species, Jubaea chilensis or Jubaea spectabilis, commonly known as the "Chilean wine palm" or "Chile cocopalm". It is native to southwestern South America and is endemic to a small area of central Chile between 32°S and 35°S in southern Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Santiago, O'Higgins, and northern Maule regions.

La Campana-Peñuelas

La Campana-Peñuelas is a Biosphere Reserve located in west-central Chile. which includes La Campana National Park and the Lago Peñuelas National Reserve. Forests within the La Campana-Peñuelas are habitats for the Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis, an endangered palm, which had a much broader distribution prior to modern times.

<i>Kageneckia oblonga</i> species of plant

Kageneckia oblonga is a species of plant in the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to Chile. K. oblonga is an evergreen tree. It grows from Coquimbo to Malleco. Example occurrences are found specifically found in central Chile within the La Campana National Park and Cerro La Campana forest areas. In these areas the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis is an associated tree species.

Cerro La Campana mountain in La Campana National Park in central Chile

Cerro la Campana, the Bell mountain, is a mountain in La Campana National Park in central Chile. The Pacific and the mountain Aconcagua are visible from the summit on clear days.

The Vizcachas Mountains is a mountain range northwest of Santiago, in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile. It is part of the Chilean Coast Ranges System.

Puya coquimbensis is a species in the Bromeliaceae family. This species is a rare plant found in certain portions of Chile including Punta Teatinos and Cerro La Campana. In La Campana National Park P.coquimbensis is associated with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis, which palm prehistorically had a much wider distribution.

<i>Puya venusta</i> species of plant

Puya venusta is a species in the Bromeliaceae family. This species is a rare plant found in certain portions of Chile including Punta Teatinos and Cerro La Campana. In La Campana National Park P. venusta is associated with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis, a palm that prehistorically had a significantly wider distribution.

Cerro El Roble mountain

Cerro El Roble is a mountain in central Chile. Much of the land area associated with this mountain was incorporated into the La Campana National Park in the late 1990s. A station of the National Astronomical Observatory of Chile, Cerro El Roble Observatory is located at the top of this mountain.

Dasyphyllum excelsum is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. Known as Bulli in Chile. This plant is known to occur in parts of South America, in Chile it occurs from Quillota to Cauquenes between 190 and 800 m above sea level, a specific location of occurrence being in central Chile within the Cerro La Campana forests in association with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis.

Cuesta La Dormida is a mountain in central Chile. Some of the forested mountain area of Cuesta La Dormida has been added to the La Campana National Park in order to achieve protection for the Chilean Wine Palm and other endangered species. Forests on Cuesta La Dormida provide habitat for a number of bird and mammal species in addition to the flora mosaic itself.

<i>Colliguaja odorifera</i> species of plant

Colliguaja odorifera is a lignotuberous species of the family Euphorbiaceae. Occurrence is in portions of South America, specifically in the Chilean matorral, where it can be found on both south and north-facing slopes. Each of these slopes have different air and soil moisture levels as well as different amounts of sunlight exposure, to which the shrub is able to adapt. Its specific occurrence is noted in central Chile in the La Campana National Park and Cerro La Campana areas, where this lignotuber is found in the same forest as the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis.

Chicauma is a mountain range in central Chile. This locale is noted for the impact of a large meteor noted in a report from 1916. The range is also termed Alto de Chicauma or Sierra de Chicauma. A portion of the Chicauma has been added to the La Campana National Park.

Trevoa trinervis is a species of actinorhizal plant within the family Rhamnaceae; this dicotyledon flora is a shrub or small tree. The genus was first proposed by Miers in 1825, but was not fully described until 1830 by Sir William Jackson Hooker. T. trinervis is notable for its ability to fix nitrogen. This species mainly occurs in the near coastal forests and arid shrubland of Chile. Example occurrences are found in the mountains of central Chile; for example, it occurs in the La Campana National Park in association with Acacia caven and Jubaea chilensis. as well as other proximate areas of central Chile.

Satureja gillesii is a plant in the family Lamiaceae. Certain organic chemicals are derived from this species, which are useful to humans. S. gillesii occurs in parts of South America, one instance being in central Chile in the La Campana National Park area, in association with the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis.

<i>Adesmia balsamica</i> species of plant

Adesmia balsamica is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub-family Faboideae. A. balsamica is a small shrub which exudes a fragrant balsamic aroma. The species is found in portions of South America, with an example location being La Campana National Park in Chile.

Adesmia resinosa is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub-family Faboideae. The species is found in portions of South America, with an example location being La Campana National Park in central Chile as an understory associate of the Chilean wine palm.

Myrceugenia correifolia is a species of evergreen woody flowering shrub belonging to the Myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The common name of this plant is petrillo. The species is native to South America; an example occurrence is in central Chile within the La Campana National Park.

<i>Myrceugenia exsucca</i> species of plant

Myrceugenia exsucca is an evergreen woody flowering plant species of the Myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The species is native to South America as far south as Chile. An example occurrence is in central Chile within the La Campana National Park. A common name for this tree is petra.

<i>Echinopsis chiloensis</i> species of plant

Echinopsis chiloensis is a species of cacti native to South America; genus members are known as hedgehog cacti, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. This species, E chiloensis, is tree-like with branching structures beginning basally. This plant can attain a height of eight metres. An example occurrence is within the La Campana National Park in Chile.

References

Line notes

  1. Chile.com, 2008
  2. C. Michael Hogan, 2008