Dasylirion wheeleri
Dasylirion wheeleri and Agave toumeyana subsp. bella in Southern Arizona
Dasylirion wheeleri is a plant of the genus Dasylirion in the family of asparagus plants ( Asparagaceae ). An English common name is " Wheeler 's Blue Sotol ".
Description
Dasylirion wheeleri forms a robust strain from 50 to 150 cm in height. The variable, irregularly arranged waxy, twisted, bluish leaves are 40 to 110 cm long and 15 to 25 mm wide. The sharp spines are irregularly upward.
The thin, Rispige inflorescence is 2 to 5 m high. The numerous flowers are yellow.
The egg-shaped fruit capsules contain a seed and are 5-7 mm long and 4-5 mm wide. The three-sided gold-brown seeds are 3 mm long and 2.5 mm wide.
The flowering period extends from May to August.
Distribution and systematics
Dasylirion wheeleri is widespread in Mexico in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, as well as in the United States in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico at altitudes of 1000-1800 m. It grows on rocky slopes, associated in open grasslands and open woodlands with treculiana Yucca, Agave toumeyana subsp. bella, Agave lechuguilla, Nolina microcarpa and various Opuntia species.
The first description was in 1878 by Joseph Trimble Rothrock. A synonym is Dasylirion wheeleri var wislizeni Trel.
Dasylirion wheeleri is a member of the Section glaucophyllum. Characteristic is the leaf structure with the typical upward irregularly arranged strong spines. In the overlapping areas of intermediate forms exist texanum with Dasylirion.
Dasylirion wheeleri can in dry state short periods of frost survive down to minus 15 ° C.