Serra da Malagueta

Serra da Malagueta

Serra da Malagueta
Highest point
Elevation 1,064 m (3,491 ft)
Prominence 2nd in Santiago
Listing List of mountains in Cape Verde
Coordinates 15°10′46″N 23°40′20″W / 15.17944°N 23.67222°W / 15.17944; -23.67222Coordinates: 15°10′46″N 23°40′20″W / 15.17944°N 23.67222°W / 15.17944; -23.67222
Geography
Serra da Malagueta

northern Santiago

Geology
Age of rock Miocene and Pliocene
Mountain type Stratovolcano
Climbing
Easiest route climb

Serra da Malagueta is a mountain located in the northern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. At 1064 m elevation, it is the second highest peak of Santiago island, after Pico da Antónia (1394 m). The mountain and its ranges forms a part of Serra da Malagueta Natural Park (Eco Serra Malagueta or Parco Natural de Serra da Malagueta), established on February 24, 2005 and covers 774 hectares. It is situated on the border of the municipalities Tarrafal, São Miguel and Santa Catarina. The mountain range dominates the north of the island stretching from Poilão in Santa Cruz up to the vicinity of Tarrafal. Its name etymology is from a plant (Capsicum), a variety of pepper, the "Malagueta pepper". It also gives its name to a nearby settlement in the westcentral portions named Serra da Malagueta or Serra Malagueta, it is also known by its short form of Serra.

The mountain area forms a source of several streams including Ribeira Principal do Santiago do Norte (the main stream) and a few nearby springs.

History

The mountain range was best known for the communities with Rabelados movement. The largest of which lives in the settlement of Espinho Branco located northwest of Calheta de São Miguel.

Geology

Its geology is similar to that of the rest of Santiago. It is composed of basalt, basanite and basanitoids out of volcanic eruptions of nearby Pico da Antónia. Its rocks date to the miocene and pliocene periods.[1]

Flora

Echium hypertropicum (cowtongue) by Ribeira Principal

The park features about 124 species of plants,[2][3] of which 28 are endemic.

The flora are being threatened by invasive species from outside the park including Lantana camara (lantuna) and Furcraea foetida (Carrapato).

Nearly endangered plants includes Lantana camara (lantuna), Furcraea foetida (carrapato) and a few others. Medicinal plants in the mountain include Artemisia gorgonum (losna), Campanula jacobaea (contra bruza azul), Campylantus glaber ssp. Glaber (alecrim-brabo), Echium hypertropicum (cowtongue or cow tongue, Portuguese: lingua de vaca), Globularia amygdalifolia (mato-boton/modronho), Lavandula rotundifolia (aipo-rotcha), Satureja forbesii (erva-cidreira), Sideroxylon marginata (ironwood, English: marmulano), Tornabeneea annua (funcho), Umbilicus schmidtii (Schmidt's balsam, Portuguese: balsamo), Verbascum capitis-viridis (sabão de feiticeira). Other that uses for food include Sonchus daltonii (king's heart, Portuguese: coroa de rei) and Euphorbia tuckeyana (tortolho).[2][3] Plants that are threatened include Conyza feae (losna-brabo), Conyza pannosa (taba) and Limonium lobinii (carqueja de Santiago).[2][3]

Fauna

The park features 19 species of birds, eight are endangered, the birds include Ardea purpurea bournei (garça vermelha de Santiago), Apus alexandri and Cape Verde sparrow (Passer iagoensis),[4] threatened birds include Cape Verde warbler (Acrocephalis brevipennis). Six species of reptiles are founded, four are endemic including Chioninia spinalis spinalis (lagartixa pintada), Chioninia vaillanti (lagarto) and Tarentola rudis rudis, Bufo regularis, the only amphibian species in the mountain and the park and an introduced species.[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Republic of Cape Verde, p. 31
  2. 1 2 3 "Endemic Plants of Serra Malagueta". Eco Serra Malagueta.
  3. 1 2 3 Gomes, Isildo (2003). Endemic plants and indigenous trees of the Cape Verde islands. Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Fishery and the Projects Conservation and Exploration of the Natural Resources on the Island Fogo (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeitand) and Conservation of Biodiversity.
  4. 1 2 Wildlife of Serra Malagueta. Eco Serra Malagueta.

Bibliography

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