Anyone who has ventured to the Andes Mountains may have caught a glimpse and possibly got to feel a very odd-looking, gooey-appearing plant.
You never really know what you might stumble across while outdoors, enjoying good ole Mother Nature. Anyone who has ventured to the Andes Mountains may have caught a glimpse and possibly got to feel a very odd-looking, gooey-appearing plant.
The green plant actually doesn’t feel gooey or slimy, but instead it’s solid to the touch. The Spanish name for it is llareta and it belongs to the Apiaceae family.
That makes the plant a cousin of sorts to parsley and carrots. Considered to be a desert, moss-like plant, it can be spotted throughout the Andes in Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Peru.
Many of the plants scattered throughout the area date back over 3,000 years. The plant grows exceptionally slowly, at under a centimeter each year.
The tough, hard surface of the llarata is comprised of tens of thousands of what is called ‘flowering buds’ that are located at the end of extended stems. These buds are so snuggly nestled together, they create a compact surface, allowing humans to rest their bodies on it.
The plant is often used for fuel because its dense composition makes it perfect for burning. Given that even rangers use llarata to keep warm during chilly nights, the long-term survival of the plant is in danger.
