Flora of North America species comparison

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Yucca arkansana

Yucca campestris

Arkansas yucca

plains yucca
Habit Plants forming small colonies, acaulescent or caulescent; rosettes usually small. Plants forming small or large, open colonies, acaulescent or occasionally caulescent and arborescent, rhizomatous; rosettes usually small.
Stems

decumbent, short, to 0.2 m. Leaf blade mostly yellowish green, flattened, grasslike, concavo-convex, widest near middle, 20–60(–70) × 0.7–2(–2.5) cm, flexible, margins entire, curled, filiferous, apex long, tapering to short spines 1.6–3.2 mm.

0.6–1 m. Leaf blade linear, plano-convex or plano-keeled, widest near middle, 40–65 × 0.3–0.7(–1.5) cm, rigid, margins entire, filiferous, white, apex spinose, spine acicular, 7 mm.
Inflorescences

racemose, occasionally paniculate proximally, arising within rosettes or at rosette level, 3–6(–8) dm, glabrous;

bracts erect;

peduncle scapelike, 0.2–0.5(–0.6) m, 0.3–0.7(–1.3) cm diam.

paniculate, arising within or occasionally beyond rosettes, narrowly ellipsoid, 6–10 dm, distance from leaf tips to proximal inflorescence branches less than twice leaf length when fully expanded, glabrous;

branches to 13 cm;

bracts erect;

peduncle scapelike, 0.5–1 m, less than 2.5 cm diam.
Flowers

pendent;

perianth globose;

tepals distinct, greenish white, elliptic to orbicular or oblong, 3.2–6.5 × 2–5 cm;

filaments 1.3–2.5 cm;

anthers 3.2 mm;

pistil 2.5–2.8(–3.2) cm;

style dark green, 7–13 mm, tumid;

stigmas lobed.

pendent;

perianth globose;

tepals connate, dull green, sometimes tinged pink, 4.1–6.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm;

filaments shorter than pistil, flaccid;

anthers 3.2 mm;

pistil ovoid to obovoid, 2.5–3 × 0.5–0.9 cm;

style bright green;

stigmas lobed.
Fruits

erect, capsular, dehiscent, oblong-cylindric to obovoid, constricted near middle, stout, 4–6.5(–7) × 2–3 cm, dehiscence septicidal.

erect, capsular, dehiscent, symmetrical or rarely constricted, 4.5–5.5(–6.3) × 3–5 cm, dehiscence septicidal.
Seeds

dull black, thin, ca. 1 cm diam.

glossy black, thin, 11–14 × 8–11 mm.

Yucca arkansana

Yucca campestris
Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering spring.
Habitat Gravelly soil, limestone outcrops, rocky hillsides, prairies Deep sands
Elevation 100–400 m (300–1300 ft) 800–900 m (2600–3000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; KS; MO; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Yucca arkansana shows considerable variation, particularly in the eastern part of its range. S. D. McKelvey (1938–1947) described var. paniculata and suggested that it is an eastern extension of the species with a taller, paniculate, and pubescent inflorescence. Yucca arkansana approaches Y. louisianensis, which we have reduced to synonymy under Y. flaccida. K. H. Clary’s (1997) DNA consensus tree places Y. arkansana and Y. louisianensis adjacent to one another.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Yucca campestris is endemic to the plains region in the southern panhandle counties of western Texas. S. D. McKelvey (1938–1947) discussed its variation in relation to its distribution, and K. H. Clary’s (1997) DNA studies support its recognition as a distinct species. J. M. Webber (1953) considered Y. campestris to be a hybrid between Y. constricta and Y. elata, and reported a distribution from west Texas into southern New Mexico, and possibly into northwestern New Mexico. Additional study within these regions may help resolve the relationships and origin of this species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 436. FNA vol. 26, p. 438.
Parent taxa Agavaceae > Yucca Agavaceae > Yucca
Sibling taxa
Y. aloifolia, Y. angustissima, Y. baccata, Y. baileyi, Y. brevifolia, Y. campestris, Y. constricta, Y. elata, Y. faxoniana, Y. filamentosa, Y. flaccida, Y. glauca, Y. gloriosa, Y. harrimaniae, Y. intermedia, Y. madrensis, Y. necopina, Y. neomexicana, Y. pallida, Y. reverchonii, Y. rostrata, Y. rupicola, Y. schidigera, Y. tenuistyla, Y. thompsoniana, Y. treculeana, Y. utahensis
Y. aloifolia, Y. angustissima, Y. arkansana, Y. baccata, Y. baileyi, Y. brevifolia, Y. constricta, Y. elata, Y. faxoniana, Y. filamentosa, Y. flaccida, Y. glauca, Y. gloriosa, Y. harrimaniae, Y. intermedia, Y. madrensis, Y. necopina, Y. neomexicana, Y. pallida, Y. reverchonii, Y. rostrata, Y. rupicola, Y. schidigera, Y. tenuistyla, Y. thompsoniana, Y. treculeana, Y. utahensis
Synonyms Y. angustifolia var. mollis, Y. arkansana var. paniculata, Y. glauca var. mollis
Name authority Trelease: Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 13: 63. (1902) McKelvey: Yuccas Southw. U.S. 2: 173, plates 62, 63. (1947)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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