Malpais_(landform)
Malpaís (landform)
Rough and barren landscape of relict and largely uneroded lava fields
Malpaís, in the Southwestern United States, Spain, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking regions, are rough and barren landscapes that consist of relict and largely uneroded lava fields exhibiting recognizable lava flows, volcanic cones, and other volcanic landforms. This type of volcanic landscape is extremely rough and difficult to traverse. It is characteristic of arid environments because in more humid climates, such rough terrains are smoothed by erosion and vegetation.
While the term describes many xeric places, it is strongly associated with Spanish-speaking countries and the Southwestern United States, where Spanish settlers named this landform.[1][2]