Hesperoyucca whipplei

(Torrey) Trelease

Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard 4: 208. 1893.

Illustrated
Basionym: Yucca whipplei Torrey in J. C. Ives, Rep. Colorado R. 4: 29. 1861
Synonyms: Hesperoyucca whipplei var. graminifolia (Alph. Wood) Trelease Yucca californica Alph. Wood Yucca graminifolia C. Wright ex S. Watson Yucca nitida Roezl ex Ortgies Yucca ortgensiana Yucca whipplei subsp. caespitosa (M. E. Jones) A. L. Haines Yucca whipplei var. caespitosa M. E. Jones Yucca whipplei subsp. intermedia A. L. Haines Yucca whipplei var. intermedia (A. L. Haines) J. M. Webber Yucca whipplei subsp. parishii (M. E. Jones) A. L. Haines Yucca whipplei var. parishii M. E. Jones Yucca whipplei subsp. percursa A. L. Haines Yucca whipplei var. percursa (A. L. Haines) J. M. Webber
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 440. Mentioned on page 439.

Plants monocarpic or polycarpic, sometimes rhizomatous, some with secondary rosettes at base or stems branching to form new rosettes after flowering; rosettes single or cespitose, in small to very large, compact or open communities, or occasionally solitary. Leaves 20–90 (–125) × 0.7–2 cm wide at base in narrow forms, 2–2.5 cm in broader forms. Scape 0.9–3 m × 2.5–15 cm diam. near base. Inflorescences 1 when rosette solitary, 1–many per rosette when rosettes in colonies, 2.5–28 × 1.5–7 dm at widest point. Capsules with conspicuous placental wings at maturity.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Desert, chaparral, desert woodland coastal sage
Elevation: 300–2500 m

Distribution

V26 910-distribution-map.jpg

Calif., Mexico (Baja California)

Discussion

Within Hesperoyucca whipplei, W. Trelease (1893) recognized two varieties, A. L. Haines (1941) and P. A. Munz (1959) each recognized five subspecies, and J. M. Webber (1953) recognized four varieties based on growth form. Others (S. D. McKelvey 1938–1947; K. K. McKinney and J. C. Hickman 1993) have argued that growth form in this species is highly variable, and have questioned the desirability of recognizing any infraspecific taxa at all in H. whipplei.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number. "thin" is not a number."narrowing" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."thin" is not a number.

... more about "Hesperoyucca whipplei"
longitudinal +
reniform +
glandular-pubescent +  and glandular +
sharp-pointed +
Karen H. Clary +
(Torrey) Trelease +
Yucca whipplei +
elliptic +, ovate +, oblanceolate +, lanceolate +  and linear +
fibrous +, succulent +  and rigid +
deltate +
Calif. +  and Mexico (Baja California) +
300–2500 m +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (?) +
broadened +
loculicidal +, 1.5cm +  and 4cm +
obovoid +
fleshy +  and dry +
Desert, chaparral, desert woodland coastal sage +
tapering +  and lanceolate +
pseudopetiolate +, sessile +  and simple +
long-lived +  and annual +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
dentate +, serrulate +  and entire +
pale-yellow +
denticulate +
cylindrical +, ovoid +  and 3-angled +
not +  and articulate +
reddish purple +
globose +  and campanulate +
semisucculent +
Flowering spring. +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +  and 1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard +
reddish purple +
open +  and compact +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
flattened +
Illustrated +
exserted +  and included +
aboveground +  and subterranean +
3 +  and 1 +
list +  and count +
exserted +  and included +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Hesperoyucca whipplei var. graminifolia +, Yucca californica +, Yucca graminifolia +, Yucca nitida +, Yucca ortgensiana +, Yucca whipplei subsp. caespitosa +, Yucca whipplei var. caespitosa +, Yucca whipplei subsp. intermedia +, Yucca whipplei var. intermedia +, Yucca whipplei subsp. parishii +, Yucca whipplei var. parishii +, Yucca whipplei subsp. percursa +  and Yucca whipplei var. percursa +
Hesperoyucca whipplei +
Hesperoyucca +
species +
4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
creamy white;greenish or purple-tinged +
distinct +
lanceolate +
3.2 cm32 mm <br />0.032 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
polycarpic +  and monocarpic +
small;gigantic +
petal-like +
conspicuous +