GENERAL INFORMATION

FLORA: The original landscape of the valley in which the city is located has suffered some important changes. Pre-Columbian civilizations were ecologist cultures that learned to respect and live along with nature. In ancient times the grounds have been covered with sparse grasses, ichu (Stipa ichu) a native bunch grass, bushes and low trees. Among the most important native plants and bushes are: ñucchu (Salvia oppositiflora), yerba mora or ccaya-ccaya (Solanum nigrum), cow's tongue or llaque (Rumex crispus), male llanten or waqa kallo (Plantago hirtella).Minor nettle or quisa (Urtica urens), yawar ch'onka (Oenothera rosea), ch'iri-ch'iri (Grindela boliviana), cancer herb (Stachys bogotensis), trinitaria or wallwa (Psoralea mexicana), q'eto-q'eto (Gnaphalium spicatum), wild tobacco or qhamasayri (Nicotiana paniculata), supai karko (Nicotiana glauca), dog thornbush or alkoquiska (Xanthium spinosum), dandelion or pilli-pilli (Taraxacum officinale), muña (Minthostachys spicata), chicchipa (Tagetes mandoni), verbena (Verbena litoralis), t'ankar quiska (Solanum pseudolicioides), llaulli (Barnadesia horrida), kantu (Cantua buxifolia) -a bush having red or yellow flowers that are considered as the Peruvian national flowers-, marqhu (Ambrosia peruviana), q'era (Lupinus condesuflorus), manca p'aki (Eupatorium sternbergianum), rata-rata (Abutilon arboreum), runto-runto (Calceolaria cuneiformis), angel's trumpet or floripondio (Datura arborea), red angel's trumpet (Datura sanguinea), roq'e (Colletia spinosissima), panti (Cosmos peucedanifolius), mountain ginger (Canna iridiflora), achupalla (Pitcairnia ferruginea), kcayara (Puya herrerrae), aguaimanto (Prunus), chunta paqpa (Fourcroya andina), century plant or paqpa (Agave americana), prickly pear or tuna (Opuntia ficus indica), p'ata quiska (Opuntia exaltata), jawaq'ollay or giant cactus (Trichocereus cuzcoensis), atoq-wakachi (Opuntia tunicata), niwa (Cortadería rudiuscula), ch'illca (Baccharis polyanta), maych'a or árnica (Senecio pseudotites), begonia or achankarai (Begonia sp.), etc.
Among the most important native trees are: chachacomo (Escallonia resinosa), molle or false pepper (Schinus molle), kiswar (Buddleia longifolia or incana), qolle (Buddleia coriácea), elderberry or sauco (Sambucus peruviana), capuli cherry (Physalis peruviana), lloq'e (Kageneckia lanceolata), tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), huayruro (Citharexylum herrerae), alder tree or lambran (Alnus jorulensis), cedar (Cedrela herrerae), coral tree or pisonay (Erythrina falcata), weeping willow (Salix humboldtiana), waranway (Tecoma sambucifolia), q'euña (Polylepis incana or racemosa), etc.
Since colonial days people from the city have been exterminating slowly many bushes and almost all of the valley's native trees for use as firewood. Today the trees that dominate our valleys are eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), imported from Australia in the 1880s. Another element that has changed the original landscape of the valley is the grass known as kikuyo (Pennisetun clandestinum), grass native from Eritrea and Abyssinia -present day Ethiopia- that was brought from Kenya and planted first in the Qosqo Valley in 1928. In the very beginning it was imported with ornamental purposes and as cattle pasture. Today it grows wildly even in the very high Andean Mountains as a pest that reduces the farmlands. It is appreciated by cattlemen but hated by farmers.

OROGRAPHY: The Qosqo Valley is located by the mid-west of the Peruvian Andes, not so far away from what is known as the "Vilcanota Node". Mountains around it contain mainly sedimentary rocks. However, there is an important limestone formation and some "stocks" or outcrop igneous formations. Among the most important mountains surrounding Qosqo City, named clockwise are: on the northern side Saqsaywaman, Pukamoqo, Socorro and farther away Senqa (4400 mts., 14432 ft.) and the Fortaleza (4193 mts., 13750 ft.). Advancing to the east side are the Pikol (4482 mts., 14700 ft.) and the range of Pachatusan (4842 mts., 15880 ft.). Towards the Southeast are the Machu Loma, the mythological Wanakauri (4080 mts., 13382 ft.), Santa Ana; farther south is the Anawarque (4050 mts., 13284 ft.), Qachona, and closer the Choqo, Araja, Muyu-Orqo and the Condoroma which closer side to the city is named Araway Qhata where today the sign "Viva el Perú" ("Long life for Peru") is found; to the southwest are the Pukín, Waman Charpa and further away the Mama Simona (4300 mts., 14105 ft.). Dominating the western side are the K'illki and Picchu (3820 mts., 12530 ft.). On the top of the Picchu Mountain today many microwave antennas are placed.
Besides, in the Qosqo Region there are also some very important mountain chains, standing out the Cordillera (Range of Mountains) of Vilcanota towards the city's east and which highest peak is the Ausangate over 6372 mts. (20905 ft.); the Cordillera of Urubamba towards the northwest with its highest peak La Veronica over 5682 mts. (18641 ft.); and the Cordillera of Vilcabamba toward the west and which highest summit is the Salkantay over 6271 mts. (20574 ft.).