Begonia sp. "Lachay"

A loma is referred to as a low hill. These dune-shaped meadows are located in a few coastal areas in Peru and northern Chile, on hillslopes facing the Pacific Ocean. Most of the year these meadows are covered only by dry sand. But in winter-time, this bizarre world is brought to life by a thick fog called “garua” when the Humboldt Current off the Peruvian coast cools down the warm Pacific air and this leads to the condensation of the humidity forming this fog. This sudden transformation to life usually lasts for two to three months before summer drought sets in and once again plant life disappears without a trace.

Some terrestrial plant species native to a loma are capable of extracting water from the fog typical of the desert coast here and live from the humidity of the fog that condenses on the surface of stones. These plants form a special community of seasonal plants called "Loma Vegetation".

The loma is rich in many unique plant species, including a variety of geophytic plant species such as Hymenocallis amancaes, Stenomesson and Begonia sp. The top picture shows a typical view of loma in thick fog during winter-time. The pictures in the middle and bottom illustrate a Begonia species flowering in thick fog during later winter in Loma de Lachay, at about 100 km north of Lima, Peru’s capital city.

Dennis Tsang (May 11, 2005)
Hong Kong