Yucca rupicola

Scheele

Linnaea 23: 143. 1850.

Common names: Twisted-leaf yucca
Endemic
Synonyms: Yucca rupicola var. tortifolia Engelmann
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 431. Mentioned on page 425, 432.

Plants usually forming open colonies of rosettes, acaulescent, with branching subterranean caudices; rosettes 2–15 per colony, each rosette with fewer than 100 leaves. Leaf-blade lanceolate, twisted, strongly concave, widest at middle, distinctly narrowing toward base, broadened at stem attachments, 35–60 × 1.7–4 cm, somewhat fleshy, flexible, margins denticulate or wavy, dark orange or reddish-brown, apex pointed. Inflorescences paniculate, arising beyond rosettes, narrowly ovoid, 2.5–10 dm; branches 0.7–2 dm; bracts erect; peduncle scapelike, 0.3–1.5 m, 1.5–2 cm diam. Flowers pendent; perianth campanulate; tepals distinct, white or greenish white, ovate, 4–7 × 1.5–3 cm, apex sharply acuminate; filaments 1.8–3.2 cm; pistil 2.5–4.5 cm; style white or greenish, 12–20 mm; stigmas lobed. Fruits erect, capsular, dehiscent, ellipsoid to cylindric, 4–5.5 × 2–3 cm, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds dull black, thin, 6–8 mm diam.


Phenology: Flowering late spring.
Habitat: Rocky hillsides of limestone ledges, open plains, woodlands
Elevation: 400–900 m

Discussion

Yucca rupicola is endemic to southeastern Edwards Plateau. It is the only species in the flora with flaccid, twisted leaves.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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

... more about "Yucca rupicola"
longitudinal +
glandular-pubescent +  and glandular +
acuminate +  and pointed +
William J. Hess +  and R. Laurie Robbins +
Scheele +
broadened +
elliptic +, ovate +, oblanceolate +, lanceolate +  and linear +
expanded +
fleshy +  and rigid +
scale-like +
subterranean +
Twisted-leaf yucca +
400–900 m +
elongated +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
flattened +
1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (3.2 cm32 mm <br />0.032 m <br />) +
broadened +
septicidal +, 2cm +  and 3cm +
ellipsoid +  and cylindric +
fleshy +  and dry +
Rocky hillsides of limestone ledges, open plains, woodlands +
concave +  and lanceolate +
long-lived +  and annual +
dentate +, serrulate +  and entire +
reddish-brown +  and dark orange +
wavy +  and denticulate +
narrowing +
6-lobed +
not +  and articulate +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br />) +
campanulate +
semisucculent +
Flowering late spring. +
oblong-cylindrical +  and obovoid +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
2 +  and 15 +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
ovate +, obovate +, round +  and flattened +
exserted +  and included +
35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
aboveground +  and subterranean +
white;pale green +
1 +  and 3 +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
greenish +  and white +
exserted +  and included +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Yucca rupicola var. tortifolia +
Yucca rupicola +
species +
greenish white;white +
distinct +
4cm +  and 7cm +
1.5cm;3cm +
aboveground +  and subterranean +
polygamodioecious +, dioecious +, monoecious +, polycarpic +  and monocarpic +
small;gigantic +
petal-like +