Abstract

AJACOPA LAIME, Crisostomo; CRUZ CHOQUE, David  and  HUAYCHO CALLISAYA, Hugo. Morphological characterization and botanical description of populations of tolares (Parastrephia sp, Baccharis sp, Fabiana sp and Clinopodium sp) in the communities of the municipality of Patacamaya of the Central Altiplano of the department of La Paz. Apthapi [online]. 2021, vol.7, n.1, pp. 2160-2168. ISSN 0102-0304.

ABSTRACT: The present work of morphological characterization and botanical description of the shrub species "Tola", is of vital importa nce, to improve its management and use, since it maintains a balance between the components of the central highland ecosystem, in addition to allowing to conserve the soil, It serves as a habitat for wildlife, support for the feeding of local livestock, energy and medicinal use and the fixation of CO2 from the atmosphere in its biomass. Its development occurs in high Andean areas of Bolivia at altitudes that varyfrom 3,500 to 4,800 meters above sea level. To date, different populations of Tolares of the genera Parastrephia, Baccharis, Fabiana and Clinopodium have been identified; however, there are many species of Tolares that have not yet been botanically described or morphologically characterized. Knowledge of the diversity of these tolar populations will allow the implementation of afforestation and repopulation programs, activities that are very limited by the ignorance of the characteristics of this shrub species. This research work has been developed in the central highlands of the Department of La Paz, more specifically in the Municipality of Patacamaya in the Communities of San Martin, Pairumani Grande, Iru Centro and Ventilla. The methodology applied in the investigation was the pointtransection method in linear plots in a station of "Quadrantof Center Point". Subsequently, samples were collected from traveling within the four communities through all the places where the populations of Tólares were found. The results obtained from the Morphological Characterization and botanical description of tolar populations in the four communities were as follows: 6 species of tolars were identified: Parastrephia lepidophylla, Baccharis incarum, Baccharis microphylla, Fabiana densa, Clinopodium bolivianum and Baccharis sp. The 6 species identified correspond to 3 botanical families, of which 4 species correspond to theAsteraceaefamily, 1 to the Lamiaceae family and 1 species to theSolanaceaefamily. Most of the identified species belong to the genus Baccharis (3 species), 1 to the genus Parastrephia, 1 to the genus Fabiana and 1 to the genus Clinopodium.

Keywords : Morphology characterization; Conservation; expansion of the agricultural frontier; Deforestation; Native grasslands of the highlands; Tolares.