Yucca schidigera

Roezl ex Ortgies

Gartenflora 20: 110. 1871.

Common names: Mohave yucca
Synonyms: Yucca californica Nuttall ex Baker Yucca mohavensis Sargent
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 429. Mentioned on page 425.

Plants forming colonies of rosettes, shrubby, caulescent, to 5 m. Stems 1–8, simple or sparingly branched. Leaf blade erect, yelloish green, sword-shaped, broadest at middle, markedly concave, thick, 33–130 × 3–5 cm, rigid, glabrous, margins entire, filiferous with coarse fibers. Inflorescences erect, paniculate, dense, arising entirely within or scarcely beyond rosettes, obovoid or ellipsoid and flat distally, 3–6 dm; peduncle scapelike, to 4 dm. Flowers pendent; perianth globose; tepals spreading, distinct, white or cream, lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 3–5(–7.5) × 1–1.8 cm; filaments 2–2.5 cm, papillose at base; anthers 3.2 mm; pistil 1.8 × 2.5 cm; ovary 1.7–2.7 × 0.7–1.2 cm, apex abruptly tapered; style 1–2 mm; stigmas distinct. Fruits pendent, baccate, indehiscent, elongate, cylindrical, 5–11.5 × 3–4 cm, fleshy, succulent. Seeds gray, 8–11 mm diam., 6–9 mm thick, rugose.


Phenology: Flowering late winter–early spring.
Habitat: Deserts and chaparral, rocky or gravelly mountain slopes
Elevation: 300–1200 m

Distribution

V26 878-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Nev., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Yucca schidigera is usually used for landscaping in the southwest and by Native Americans for food and fiber. Capsules made from inflorescence stalks are sold as natural health products.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Yucca schidigera"
William J. Hess +  and R. Laurie Robbins +
Roezl ex Ortgies +
Mohave yucca +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Nev. +  and Mexico (Baja California). +
300–1200 m +
Deserts and chaparral, rocky or gravelly mountain slopes +
Flowering late winter–early spring. +
Gartenflora +
Yucca californica +  and Yucca mohavensis +
Yucca schidigera +
species +