Abstract

The Jubaea chilensis species (chilean palm) is distributed in central Chile in small remnants with varying degrees of conservation. The palmar Ocoa with 62.821 individuals, the best conserved of all, is located within La Campana National Park in the V region of Valparaiso, only place with protected state through the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado (SNASPE). Nevertheless, their habitat has been heavily altered by high anthropic pressure from near communities who have historically exploited the species, mainly to extract sap. The aim of this study was to characterize the floristic and structural composition of the vegetal subtype Jubaea chilensis - Lithraea caustica, in different sectors of medium density of chilean palm within La Campana National Park. The results showed that the alteration that historically has suffered the species and associated vegetation, being determined that J. chilensis and other species, is stagnant or declining, which manifests mainly a lack of height class individuals stipe and individuals of natural regeneration. Key words: chilean palm, vegetal structure, development stages, stipe height.