Solanum tuberosum - Potato plants are herbaceous perennials. They grow to about 60 centimeters in height and are usually pollinated by insects such as the bumble bee, but are capable of self-fertilization. Potatoes were domesticated in Southern Peru approximately 7,000 to 10,000 years ago and have since become the world’s 4th most important food crop following maize, wheat, and rice. There are over 4,000 varieties of the potato, each grown to suit different soils, climate or taste.
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The small municipality of La Rinconada, located in Peru’s San Antonio de Putina Province, is the world’s highest permanent settlement. The town is situated in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 5,100 meters. There are approximately 30,000 people living in La Rinconada, most being of Quechua ancestry. A nearby gold mine provides the only means of employment for the citizens of La Rinconada. Living at extreme altitudes can cause hypoxemia, a condition occurring when blood is oxygen starved.
