Flora of Machu Picchu

November 7, 2011 | Posted by Sarah Miles

During our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu we encountered some of the most beautiful flora we have seen during all our travels in South America. Many of the flowers are orchids, since Peru has thousands of species of them.

I did my best to look up all the flora from Peru in Google Images, but many times I just couldnt find the name, and on a few occasions, I couldnt even find a similar picture. So if you have some flower friends or better Google skills, have at it! Enjoy the plant and flower pictures from Peru.

Best viewed by clicking on an individual photo and advancing with the right arrow key on your keyboard.

Lupinus mutabilis is a species of lupin grown in the Andes for its edible bean. Vernacular names include tarwi, tarhui, chocho, altramuz, Andean lupin, South American lupin, or pearl lupin.

View photos from our Salkantay Hike to Machu Picchu.

Lupinus mutabilis is a species of lupin grown in the Andes for its edible bean. Vernacular names include tarwi, tarhui, chocho, altramuz, Andean lupin, South American lupin, or pearl lupin.

Cypripedium is a genus of 47 species of lady

Common names include slipper orchid, lady

Flowers of Peru – Another Yellow Lady Slipper

Flowers of Peru – Is this a Daisy?

Flowers of Peru – Need help naming this one.

Plants of Peru – Definitely has saw leafs that could hurt.

Flora surrounding Machu Picchu

Flowers of Peru – Need help naming this one. I found pictures of the flower, but not any names beyond Orange Flower

Flowers of Peru – Need help naming this one.

Oncidium is a genus that contains about 330 species of orchids from the subtribe Oncidiinae of the orchid family. Often called Dancing Ladies Orchid

Flowers of Peru – Need help naming this one.

Flowers of Peru – Looks like a type of succulent to me.

Epiphytes – plants that grow on another in a non-parasitic relationship and gets its nutrients from water, dust particles, and the air.

Zantedeschia aethiopica (common names Lily of the Nile, Calla lily, Easter lily, and Arum lily)

Easter Lily with a Bumblebee inside.

Another Easter lily, but with a very colorful bug in it.

Flowers of Peru – This one is very unique with red fuzzy balls. Both plants in the image are the same. I have no idea what it is and couldn

Flowers of Peru – Same as the one from above.

Flowers of Peru – A group of yellow flowers

The pteridophytes are vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that produce neither flowers nor seeds, and are hence called vascular cryptogams. Instead, they reproduce and disperse only via spores. Pteridophytes include horsetails, ferns, and club mosses.