Yucca brevifolia ssp. brevifolia



Yucca brevifolia ssp. jaegeriana McKelvey.
Plant growing in a remote area in S.W. Utah.
Photo Nathan Abbott, Copyright 2003-2005.

Yucca brevifolia Engelmann, in King, U.S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. Rpt. 5: 496. 1871

Synonyms:
Yucca draconis var. arborescens Torrey, in Pacific. R. R. Rpt. 4: 147. 1857
Yucca brevifolia Schott. Ex Torrey, in Emory, U.S. and Mex. Bound. Bot. pg. 221, 1859 = Yucca arizonica Mckelvey
Yucca arborescens ( Torrey ) Trelease, in Mo. Bot. Gard. Ann. Rpt. 3: 163. 1892
Clistoyucca arborescens ( Torrey ) Trelease, in Mo. Bot. Gard. Ann. Rpt. 13: 41. 1902
Clistoyucca  brevifolia (Engelmann) Rydberg. Flora Rocky Mountains and Adj. Plains, page 170. 1917.
Yucca brevifolia forma herbertii forma nov. Webber, Agric. Monogr. U.S.D.A. 17: 32. 1953
Yucca brevifolia var. herbertii  (J. M. Webber) Munz Aliso 4: 88. 1958
Yucca brevifolia var. kernensis. Dibrell A., name occur in The Amateurs' Digest, Vol. 10 Issue 1 May 1998.
Yucca brevifolia forma kernensis Fritz Hochstätter seed list #13, 1999.

Subspecies, varieties and forma:
Yucca brevifolia forma herbertii WEBBER, Agric. Monograph U.S.D.A. 17:32 (1953)
Yucca brevifolia ssp. jaegeriana (McKelvey) Hochstaetter, Succulenta 80 (6): 267 (2001)

Unvalid published names:
Yucca brevifolia var. kernensis. Dibrell A., name occurred in The Amateurs' Digest, Vol. 10 Issue 1 May 1998.
Yucca brevifolia forma kernensis Fritz Hochstätter seed list #13 1999.

Type location:
Date Creek, Yuma Co., Arizona.

Distribution:
Utah, California, Arizona and Nevada at 450 m to 1800 m elevation.

Short description of the species:
Plant arborescent, mostly with 1 huge trunk-like stem (sometimes 2 or 3 stems!). Stems 5 to 13 m tall (occasionally up to almost 20 m!) 40 to 80 cm thick, and extremely more at the base. Branching at 250 to 300 cm above ground, branches fork every 60 to 100 cm. Leaves 15 to 35 cm long 0,7 to 1,5 cm wide, slightly constricted at the union with base, thence tapered to apex, straight, rarely falcate, rigid especially near the base (the young leaves are more flexible!) the lower 273 of the leaf is concavo-convex, the keel does often has sharp tooth's, pale blue to sage green, has a very sharp 0,7 to 1,2 cm long dark red-brown spine. Leaf margin thin, with narrow horny lemon-yellow edge with short sharp straw colored teeth. Inflorescence scape stout 10-15 cm long, 4,5 to 5 cm thick, panicle 25 to 55 cm long, ellipsoidal or ovoid, very dense. branchlets 5 to 10 cm long. Flowers 4 to 7 cm  long, oblate-ellipsoidal to globose, greenish white. Fruit 6 to 8,5 cm long, 3 to 4,5 cm thick. Seeds 0,8 to 1,1 X 0,9 to 1,2 cm, flat, , slightly thickened, smooth or rarely somewhat wrinkled, dull black, wingless.

Hardiness:
This species isn't hardy here in Denmark, but can be grown in LARGE pots, that can be stored in a frost free place, during the winter.

Reference:
Engelmann, in King, U.S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. Rpt. 5: 496. 1871
HOSCSTÄTTER, F., Succulenta 80 (6): 267 (2001)
MCKELVEY, Yuccas Southwest. U.S. 1: 119 - 139 (1938)
Schott. Ex Torrey., in Emory, U.S. and Mex. Bound. Bot. pg. 221, 1859
THIEDE, J. (2001) Illustrated handbook of succulent plants vol. 1. (Monocotyledons (Eggli ed.)): 91-92.
Torrey, in Pacific. R. R. Rpt. 4: 147. 1857
WEBBER, Agric. Monograph U.S.D.A. 17:30-31 (1953)

Pictures:
 
Yucca brevifolia
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.

I don't have any photos of this species from habitat, if you have some I may use please let me know.
But here are some links to link to one of Tom Schweich pages about Eastern Mojave Vegetation.
Yucca brevifolia ssp. brevifolia large specimen of Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) in Joshua Tree National  Monument.

You may also want to visit Desert USA here there are an excellent page about Yucca brevifolia.



Back to list with Yucca species:


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