- Yucca
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This article is about the genus comprising species of perennials, shrubs, and trees. For the root vegetable, see Cassava. For other uses, see Yucca (disambiguation).
Yucca 
Yucca filamentosa in New Zealand Scientific classification 
Kingdom: Plantae clade: Angiosperms clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Asparagaceae Subfamily: Agavoideae Genus: Yucca
L.Species See text.
Synonyms Clistoyucca (Engelm.) Trel.
Samuela Trel.
Sarcoyucca (Engelm.) Linding.[1]Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae.[2] Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry (arid) parts of North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Early reports of the species were confused with the cassava (Manihot esculenta).[3] Consequently, Linnaeus mistakenly derived the generic name from the Carib word for the latter, yuca (spelt with a single "c").[4] It is also colloquially known in the midwest United States as "Ghosts in the graveyard", as it is commonly found growing in rural graveyards and when in bloom the flowers appear as an apparition floating.
Contents
Distribution
Distribution of the capsular fruited species in southwest, midwest USA, Mexico's Baja California and Canada. Overview
The natural distribution range of the genus Yucca (49 species and 24 subspecies) covers a vast area of North and Central America. From Baja California in the west, northwards into the southwestern United States, through the drier central states as far north as Alberta in Canada (Yucca glauca ssp. albertana), and moving east along the Gulf of Mexico, and then north again, through the Atlantic coastal and inland neighbouring states. To the south, the genus is represented throughout Mexico and extends into Guatemala (Yucca guatemalensis). Yuccas have adapted to an equally vast range of climatic and ecological conditions. They are to be found in rocky deserts and badlands, in prairies and grassland, in mountainous regions, in light woodland, in coastal sands (Yucca filamentosa), and even in subtropical and semi-temperate zones, although these are generally arid to semi-arid.
Ecology
Yuccas have a very specialized, mutualistic pollination system, being pollinated by yucca moths (family Prodoxidae); the insect purposefully transfers the pollen from the stamens of one plant to the stigma of another, and at the same time lays an egg in the flower; the moth larva then feeds on some of the developing seeds, always leaving enough seed to perpetuate the species. Yucca species are the host plants for the caterpillars of the Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae),[5] Ursine Giant-Skipper (Megathymus ursus),[6] and Strecker's Giant-Skipper (Megathymus streckeri).[7]
Uses
Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Many species of yucca also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems,[8] and more rarely roots. References to yucca root as food often stem from confusion with the similarly spelled but botanically unrelated yuca, also called cassava (Manihot esculenta). Roots of soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) are high in saponins and are used as a shampoo in Native American rituals. Dried yucca leaves and trunk fibers have a low ignition temperature, making the plant desirable for use in starting fires via friction.[9] In rural Appalachian areas, species such as Yucca filamentosa are referred to as "meat hangers". The tough fibrous leaves with their sharp spined tips were used to puncture meat and knotted to form a loop with which to hang meat for salt curing or in smoking houses.
Cultivation
Yuccas are widely planted in the western US as a landscape plant. Most species are generally heat and cold tolerant, requiring little care and low water. They offer a dramatic accent to a landscape design.
Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) are protected by law in some states. A permit is needed for wild collection. As a landscape plant, they can be killed by excessive water during their summer dormant phase. For these two reasons they are avoided by landscape contractors.
Symbolism
The "yucca flower" is the state flower of New Mexico. No species name is given in the citation.
Species
Yucca aloifolia Aloe yucca, Spanish Bayonet Yucca angustissima Narrowleaf yucca, Spanish Bayonet 
Yucca brevifolia Joshua tree 
Yucca baccata Banana yucca, datil Yucca constricta Buckley's yucca 
Yucca decipiens Palma China 
Yucca elata Soaptree yucca 
Yucca filamentosa Spoonleaf yucca, Filament yucca, or Adam's Needle 
Yucca filifera Palma Chuna yucca 
Yucca flaccida Flaccid leaf yucca 
Yucca glauca Great Plains yucca Yucca gloriosa Moundlily yucca, Adam's needle, Spanish Dagger Yucca grandiflora Sahuiliqui yucca 
Yucca guatemalensis Spineless yucca Yucca harrimaniae Harriman's yucca Yucca intermedia Intermediate Yucca Yucca jaliscensis Izote Yucca kanabensis Kanab yucca Yucca lacandonica Tropical yucca Yucca madrensis Soco yucca Yucca nana Dwarf yucca 
Yucca pallida Pale yucca Yucca periculosa Izote Yucca recurvifolia Curve-leaf yucca Yucca rigida Blue yucca 
Yucca rostrata Beaked yucca, Big Bend yucca 
Yucca rupicola Texas yucca, or Twist-leaf yucca 
Yucca schidigera Mojave yucca Yucca schottii Hoary yucca or Mountain yucca Yucca standleyi 
Yucca thompsoniana Thompson's Yucca Yucca thornberi Yucca torreyi Torrey yucca Yucca treculiana Texas bayonette, Trecul's yucca Yucca valida Datilillo Yucca yucatana Yucatan yucca A number of other species previously classified in Yucca are now classified in the genera Dasylirion, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca and Nolina.
Taxonomic arrangement
- Section Yucca formerly Sarcocarpa Engelm.
- Series Faxonianae Hochstätter
- Series Baccatae Hochstätter
- Yucca baccata Torr.
- Yucca baccata Torr. ssp. baccata
- Yucca baccata Torr. ssp. vespertina (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca baccata Torr. ssp. thornberi (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca confinis McKelvey
- Yucca endlichiana Trel.
- Yucca arizonica McKelvey
- Yucca baccata Torr.
- Series Treculianae Hochstätter
- Yucca grandiflora Gentry
- Yucca declinata Laferr.
- Yucca treculiana Carriere
- Yucca torreyi Shafer
- Yucca schidgera Roezl ex Ortgies
- Yucca schotti Engelm.
- Yucca capensis Lenz
- Yucca jaliscensis Trel.
- Yucca periculosa Baker
- Yucca mixtecana Garcia-Mend.
- Yucca decipiens Trel.
- Yucca valida Brandegee
- Yucca potosina Rzed.
- Yucca filifera Chabaud
- Series Gloriosae Hochstätter
- Series Yucca
- Yucca madrensis Gentry
- Yucca linearifolia Clary
- Yucca elephantipes Regel
- Yucca lacandonica Gomez-Pompa & Valdes
- Yucca aloifolia L.
- Yucca yucatana Engelm.
- Section Clistocarpa Engelm.
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- Yucca brevifolia Engelm.)
- Yucca brevifolia Engelm. ssp. brevifolia
- Yucca brevifolia Engelm. ssp. jaegeriana (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca brevifolia Engelm. ssp. herbertii (Webber) Hochstätter
- Yucca brevifolia Engelm.)
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- Section Chaenocarpa Engelm.
- Series Filamentosae Hochstätter
- Yucca filamentosa L.
- Yucca flaccida Haw.
- Series Rupicolae Hochstätter
- Yucca cernua Keith
- Yucca pallida McKelvey
- Yucca queretaroensis Pina Lujan
- Yucca reverchonii Trel.
- Yucca rigida (Engelm.) Trel.
- Yucca rostrata Engelm. ex Trel.
- Yucca rupicola Scheele
- Yucca thompsoniana Trel.
- Series Harrimaniae Hochstätter
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel.
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel. ssp. harrimaniae
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel. ssp. neomexicana (Wooton & Standl.) Hochstätter
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel. ssp. sterilis (Neese & Welsh) Hochstätter
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel. ssp. gilbertiana (Trel.) Hochstätter
- Yucca nana Hochstätter
- Yucca harrimaniae Trel.
- Series Glaucae (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel.
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel. ssp. angustissima
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel. ssp. toftiae (Welsh) Hochstätter
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel. ssp. kanabensis (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel. ssp. avia (Reveal) Hochstätter
- Yucca baileyi Wooton & Standl.
- Yucca baileyi Wooton & Standl. ssp. baileyi
- Yucca baileyi Wooton & Standl. ssp. intermedia (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca coahuilensis Matuda & Pinja Lujan
- Yucca elata Engelm.
- Yucca elata Engelm. ssp. elata
- Yucca elata Engelm. ssp. utahensis (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca elata Engelm. ssp. verdiensis (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca glauca Nutt.
- Yucca glauca Nutt. ssp. glauca
- Yucca glauca Nutt. ssp. stricta (Sims) Hochstätter
- Yucca glauca Nutt. ssp. albertana Hochstätter
- Yucca campestris McKelvey
- Yucca constricta Buckley
- Yucca arkansana Trel.
- Yucca arkansana Trel. ssp. arkansana
- Yucca arkansana Trel. ssp. louisianensis (Trel.) Hochstätter
- Yucca arkansana Trel. ssp. freemanni (Shinners) Hochstätter
- Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel.
- Series Filamentosae Hochstätter
- Section Hesperoyucca Engelm.
- (Treated as a separate genus Hesperoyucca by some sources.)
- Yucca whipplei Torr.
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. whipplei
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. caespitosa (Jones) Haines
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. intermedia Haines
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. percursa Haines
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. newberryi (McKelvey) Hochstätter
- Yucca whipplei Torr. ssp. eremica Epling & Haines
- Yucca whipplei Torr.
- (Treated as a separate genus Hesperoyucca by some sources.)
Cultivars
In the years from 1897 to 1907, Carl Ludwig Sprenger created and named 122 Yucca hybrids.
Gallery
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Joshua Trees(Yucca brevifolia), growing in the Mojave Desert
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Unknown species near Orosí, Costa Rica.
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Yucca near Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.
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Yucca Harrimaniae also known as Harriman's Yucca.
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Yucca faxoniana in Texas, with mature fruits.
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Yucca schidigera in Nevada, in full bloom.
References
- ^ "Yucca L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2010-01-19. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?13004. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ Chase, M.W.; Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.F. (2009), "A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae", Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (2): 132–136, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00999.x
- ^ Irish, Gary (2000). Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants: a Gardener's Guide. Timber Press. p. 18. ISBN 9780881924428. http://books.google.com/books?id=YbVYuq73I0wC&.
- ^ Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. 4 R-Z. Taylor & Francis US. p. 2862. ISBN 9780849326783. http://books.google.com/books?id=2ndDtX-RjYkC&.
- ^ Daniels, Jaret C. "Yucca Giant-Skipper Butterfly, Megathymus yuccae (Boisduval & Leconte) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)". Electronic Data Information Source. University of Florida IFAS Extension. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in800. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ "Ursine Giant-Skipper Megathymus ursus Poling, 1902". Butterflies and Moths of North America. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=2192. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ "Strecker's Giant-Skipper Megathymus streckeri (Skinner, 1895)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=2191. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ Couplan, François (1998). The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America. McGraw Hill Professional. ISBN 9780879838218. http://books.google.com/books?id=tb_qBpULHKcC&.
- ^ Baugh, Dick (1999). "the Miracle of Fire by Friction". In David Wescott. Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills (10 ed.). pp. 32–33. ISBN 9780879059118. http://books.google.com/books?id=HlwUo0IccoMC&.
- Fritz Hochstätter (Hrsg.): Yucca (Agavaceae). Band 1 Dehiscent-fruited species in the Southwest and Midwest of the USA, Canada and Baja California , Selbst Verlag, 2000. ISBN 3-00-005946-6
- Fritz Hochstätter (Hrsg.): Yucca (Agavaceae). Band 2 Indehiscent-fruited species in the Southwest, Midwest and East of the USA, Selbst Verlag. 2002. ISBN 3-00-009008-8
- Fritz Hochstätter (Hrsg.): Yucca (Agavaceae). Band 3 Mexico , Selbst Verlag, 2004. ISBN 3-00-013124-8
External links
Categories:- Yucca
- Asparagaceae genera
- Plants and pollinators
- North American desert flora
- Section Yucca formerly Sarcocarpa Engelm.
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