Qishqiqucha

Qishqiqucha
Location Peru
Ancash Region
Coordinates 9°49′31″S 77°18′35″W / 9.82528°S 77.30972°WCoordinates: 9°49′31″S 77°18′35″W / 9.82528°S 77.30972°W[1]
Max. length 0.7 km (0.43 mi)
Max. width 0.39 km (0.24 mi)
Surface elevation 4,284 m (14,055 ft)

Qishqiqucha (Quechua qishqi, a type of bromeliad,[2][3] qucha lake,[4] hispanicized spelling Gueshguecocha, Queshquecocha) is a lake in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. It is located in the Ancash Region, Recuay Province, Catac District.[5][6] It is situated at a height of about 4,284 metres (14,055 ft), about 0.7 km long and 0.39 km at its widest point. Qishqiqucha lies in the Huascarán National Park, southwest of Mururahu and Qishqi.

The lake receives waters from a little river. Upstream it is called Tranka Ruri and downstream Qishqi (Gueshgue, Queshque). It flows along the little village of Qishqi (Gueshgue, Queshque, Queshqui).

It is known that the Puya raimondii, a plant with a gigantic inflorescence that may reach up to 10 m in height, grows in the Qishqi river valley.[7] The names of the lake, the village and the river refer to this plant.

References

  1. ign.gob.pe IGN, Peru
  2. nsspress.com Glossary of Spanish and Quechua Terms Used: Achupalla - A type of bromeliad (pitcairnia pungens, puya longistila -Soukup 1970) used as fuel by the peasants. There are different types of achupalla, ... the achupalla plant used for the firing of the pot is called qishqi in local Quechua ... .
  3. thefreelibrary.com New localities and taxonomic synopsis of Puya mima (Bromeliaceae), a charismatic and important Puya from Central Peru.: "... . Local people of this valley call it "queshque blanco", or the white Puya. ..."
  4. Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary)
  5. mincetur.gob.pe "Laguna Queshquecocha"
  6. escale.minedu.gob.pe - UGEL map of the Recuay Province (Ancash Region) showing the village "Gueshgue" and the stream (Quebrada) "Gueshgue"
  7. parkswatch.org Huascarán National Park, Description: "There are patches of Puya Raimondi (Puya raimondi) in the park, found mostly in Carpa and Queshque valleys."