Hesperoyucca whipplei

Yucca whipplei with inflorescence in May in California

Yucca whipplei ( trivial names in other languages ​​: Our Lord 's Candle, Chaparral Yucca Quixote ) is a plant of the genus yucca (Yucca ) in the family of asparagus plants ( Asparagaceae ).

Description

The solitary growing, acaulescente, monocarpic Yucca whipplei is exceptional. The thin, flexible, finely toothed, blue to gray leaves are 25 cm to 65 cm long m long and 1 cm to 2 cm wide.

The Rispige inflorescence is, as with Yucca elata, 2 to 5 feet high. The fragrant, spherical, hanging flowers have a length and 3-5 cm and a diameter from 1 to 3 cm. The six equal multiform bracts are white to cream-colored, with purple tips. The flowering period extends from March to June.

The mountain forms are hardy in dry state to -18 ° C. They are rare in the collections in Europe and difficult to cultivate, but a copy in the collection of T. Bolliger has flourished in Switzerland.

Dissemination

Yucca whipplei is in the Mexican Baja California ( Baja California) and widespread in the southern part of the U.S. state of California in Chaparralregionen and desert regions at altitudes between 400 m and 2400 m. This type is often found associated with Yucca brevifolia, Yucca schidigera, Yucca baccata and various agaves and cacti species.

System

The first description by John Torrey was published in 1861. An earlier description Torreys from 1858 is invalid. Another, allocated by John Gilbert Baker synonym is Hesperoyucca whipplei of 1892.

Yucca whipplei is the only species of the section Hesperoyucca.

We distinguish the following sub- types:

  • Yucca whipplei subsp. whipplei
  • Yucca whipplei subsp. caespitosa ( M.E.Jones ) A.L.Haines
  • Yucca whipplei subsp. intermedia A.L.Haines
  • Yucca whipplei subsp. percursa A.L.Haines
  • Yucca whipplei subsp. newberryi ( McKelvey ) Hochstätter
  • Yucca whipplei subsp. eremica Epling & A.L.Haines

Pictures

Yucca whipplei:

Section of the inflorescence in California

Yucca whipplei ssp. newberryi: Location, rediscovered by F. Hochstätter in the 90s in the inner Grand Canyon, Arizona

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