Queen of the Andes
2024 CE • Andes Mountains
"Puya raimondii is the world’s largest bromeliad and a prime example of a “charismatic megaflora”. Indeed, its grand stature and remarkable once-in-a-lifetime flowering event have earned it the name “Queen of the Andes”. Like many Puya species, it is one of the only large-statured plants in high Andean puna ecosystems and an important structural and ecological component throughout its native range, providing food and shelter to a variety of animals. However, its future is threatened by anthropogenic stressors such as climate change and land use."
Riley P. Fortier, "Queen of the Andes: the ecology and conservation of Puya raimondii," edited by Brenda Molano-Flores, Frontiers in Conservation Science 5, January 29, 2024.
Image: Melinda Young Stuart via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic
Learn about Maya Lin’s fifth and final memorial: a multi-platform science based artwork that presents an ecological history of our world - past, present, and future.
Discover ecological histories and stories of former abundance, loss, and recovery on the map of memory.
Learn how we can reduce our emissions and protect and restore species and habitats – around the world.
See how art can help us rethink the problems we face, and give us hope that each one of us can make a difference.
Help make a global memorial something personal and close to home. Share your stories of the natural world.