South American Puna

The Puna grasslands are considered a semi-desert system located between 3,500 and 5,000 m (11,483 to 16,404 ft) above sea level. The area is characterized by extreme temperature fluctuations with diel climatic variation often surpassing that of the Patagonia (a winter pulse is experienced almost every 24 h), and precipitation occurring as winter snow and summer hail/rainstorms. Dominant genera common to the Puna grasslands have similarities with those found in the Patagonian grasslands and include Adesmia, Chuquiraga, Fabiana, Lepidophyllum, Mulinum and Nardophyllum.