FLORA AND FAUNA OF SALTA: MOST REPRESENTATIVE SPECIES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The flora and fauna of Salta is represented by species such as the palo santo, the urunday, the lampalagua and the suri, among others. Salta is one of the 23 provinces that exist in Argentina. It is located in the northwest of the country, bordering on the north with Paraguay and Bolivia and on the south with Chile.

The region's climate is warm, as it is located in a tropical zone. However, the different altitudes of the terrain cause variations in each micro climate.

Urunday. Source: Jorge Vallmitjana Lampalagua. Source: CHUCAO

Thus, to the east of the province the climate is semi-arid, while in the valleys it is temperate, allowing various agricultural activities. In this sense, in Salta there are some of the best performing vineyards in the world, which produce wines with an intense flavor.

Flora of Salta

Urunday (

This timber tree, belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, is located in American intertropical regions. It is a dioecious species, large in size. Thus, it can reach up to 22 meters in height, with a straight and thick trunk, approximately 80 centimeters in diameter.

The crown is elongated and not very widespread, formed by thin and tortuous branches, frequently pendulous. On the other hand, the leaves are odd-pinnate and compound, with a length between 12 and 18 centimeters long.

The blade is formed by leaflets, arranged in 5 to 8 pairs. Likewise, they are opposite, lanceolate and with serrated edges.

In relation to the inflorescence, this occurs in the form of terminal panicles, approximately 12 to 15 centimeters long. The flowers are small, 4 millimeters, and yellowish in color. Male flowers have ovoid petals, while female flowers have shorter petals.

On the other hand, the pichai or ax bankruptcy, as the Astronium balansae is also known, has a subglobose drupe, with a diameter between 3 and 4 millimeters.

Lignum vitae (

The palo santo is a species that is part of the South American Great Chaco, located between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. On the other hand, its growth can be isolated or in small groups.

It is a tree of an approximate height between 6 and 20 meters. In its branches, which are rigid and cylindrical, are the nodes. These are opposite and thick, where the leaves are concentrated.

In relation to the leaves, they are bifoliate, with petioles made up of two leaflets. These have a rounded end, measuring 1.5 to 4 centimeters long.

The inflorescence is made up of two flowers, although there may be an axillary flower. The flower has five yellowish-white petals. As for the flowering of the palo santo, it occurs from April to May, and bears fruit from June to August.

The wood of this tree is used in the construction and in the elaboration of different wooden utensils. Guaiac or guaiac oil, widely used in the perfume industry, is extracted from this. From the resin organic solvents are obtained, used in varnishes and paints.

Likewise, it is used in the treatment of muscle pain, skin wounds and some stomach diseases.

Red type (

This tree belongs to the Fabaceae family. It is widely distributed in Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.

It is a species that measures between 6 and 20 meters high, being a colonizer of open areas, such as the edges of roads. The trunk reaches up to 80 centimeters in diameter. The wood that is obtained from the red type is reddish and of great hardness. This is used in cabinetmaking, in the beams and in various decorative elements.

The bark is brownish-greyish, thick and rough. In relation to the main branches, they are tortuous, ascending and thick.

It has alternate, compound and odd-pinnate leaves, with a number of leaflets ranging between 8 and 20. These are oval or elliptical, glabrous and alternate. Also, the ribs are printed on the bundle.

The flowers are hermaphroditic, however, there may be some male. These are of yellowish tones, being sustained on glabrous pedicels. The calyx has five free, concave and obovate petals. The inflorescence is pendular, in axillary racemes.

The flowering period of the cocal o will rotate, as this species is also known, is from January to February, fruiting from March to May. The fruit is compressed, cross-linked and brown in color.

Salta fauna

Lampalagua (

This large snake lives in the semi-arid forested areas of the south-central region of the South American continent.

The females are larger than males. These can measure more than 4 meters and weigh 18 kilograms. In contrast, males rarely exceed 2.40 meters and 8 kilograms.

It is a boa that is characterized by having a heavy and solid body, thus giving it a robust appearance. Its tail, which is somewhat prehensile, is short. On both sides of the cloaca they have pelvic spurs, which are used by the male in courtship.

The head of the Argentine boa, as it is also called, is triangular in shape. In it is a very powerful jaw. The eyes have the pupil arranged vertically, as a result of their nocturnal habits.

Its body is covered in scales. The coloration can be from dark grayish-brown tones to grayish-brown. In the dorsal area they have white, yellowish or pink ocellar patterns. These are surrounded by rings of black color, which are connected to each other.

This species of the South American cone has 24 to 29 dark brown or black dorsal spots. The belly is light, where dark brown spots stand out.

Habitat and food

The lampalagua is an animal that generally lives on land, contrary to the other South American boas that usually live in water or in areas close to these. Their diet usually includes red lizards, small mammals and birds.

Suri (

This bird lives in semi-arid or arid areas of central-western South America. It can measure between 90 and 100 centimeters in length, with a weight that could be between 15 and 29 kilograms.

The head, in relation to body size, is small. The bill is short and brown in color, measuring approximately 6 to 9 centimeters. In contrast, the legs and neck are long.

The Cordilleran rhea, as the Rhea pennata garleppi is also known, has a grayish coloration on the upper part, being ocher on the neck and on the head. Scapular feathers and coats of adult species are dark, with white tips.

In relation to the legs, the tarsus has, in the frontal area, between 8 and 10 horizontally arranged plates, called scutellations.

Their diet is based on the leaves of herbs and shrubs, such as sedges and sedges. This diet is complemented with the ingestion of insects, small vertebrates and arachnids, among others.

Although its wings are more developed than those of the rest of its kind, the suri cannot fly. However, it is a great runner, thus being able to escape from its predators.

Crested Martinet (

The crested martineta is a tinamiform bird that measures approximately 41 centimeters in length. It is distributed in South America, especially in Chile and Argentina.

Its body is covered in dark brown plumage, with yellowish tones. These colors favor defense against predators, because it can blend in with the environment.

The head of the tufted partridge, as this species is also known, is speckled with yellowish brown and black. In the upper part it has a fine and long forelock, curved and oriented forward. Another relevant feature is the white line with a black center, which begins at the eye and ends at the neck.

The beak is curved and robust, thus facilitating the capture and intake of their food. An example of their diet is the seeds, fruits and insects.

In relation to the legs, they have three toes, allowing it to walk between the steppes and grasslands where it lives. The crested jack can fly short distances, however, it only does so when it needs to flee quickly from a dangerous situation.

References

1. Information portal of Salta (2019). Soil: Flora and Fauna of Salta. Recovered from portaldesalta.gov.ar.
2. Laspiur, Alejandro, Acosta, Juan. (2010). Boa constrictor occidentalis (Argentine Boa) Diet. Natural History Notes. Recovered from researchgate.net.
3. Encyclopedia britannica (2019). Salta, province Argentina. Recovered from britannica.com.
4. Wikipedia (2019). Salta province. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
5. Wine-searcher (2019). Skip wine. Recovered from wine-searcher.com.
6. Cholewiak, D. 2003. Rheidae. Animal Diversity Web. Recovered from animaldiversity.org.
7. Laspiur, Alejandro & Acosta, Juan. (2010). Boa constrictor occidentalis (Argentine Boa) Diet. Natural History Notes. Recovered from researchgate.net.