Yucca reverchonii

Plants solitary or forming dense, open colonies of rosettes, acaulescent, with branching subterranean caudices; rosettes 2-10 per colony, each rosette with fewer than 100 leaves. Leaf blade lanceolate, straight, slightly concave, nearly flattened, widest at middle, 25-60 × 1-2(-2.5) cm, rigid, slightly glaucous, margins denticulate, yellow or reddish brown, hyaline. Inflorescences narrowly paniculate, arising beyond rosettes, narrowly ovoid, 3.5-10 dm, densely pubescent; bracts erect; peduncle sometimes scapelike, 0.5-1.1 m, less than 2.5 cm diam. Flowers pendent; perianth campanulate; tepals distinct, white or greenish white, ovate, 4-6 × 1.5-3 cm, apex sharply acuminate; filaments 1.8-3.2 cm; pistil 3-4.5 cm × 4-6 mm; style white or greenish, 10-20 mm; stigmas lobed. Fruits erect, capsular, dehiscent, ellipsoid, 4-6 × 1.8-3.2 cm, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds dull black, thin, 5-7 mm diam.

Flowering late spring. Rocky hillsides, limestone ledges, gravelly plains with dense brush; 400--900 m; Tex.

Yucca reverchonii is endemic to the Edwards Plateau. J. M. Webber (1953) reported apparent hybrids of this species with Y. rupicola and Y. thompsoniana. S. D. McKelvey (1938-1947) indicated that Y. reverchonii occupies an area of the Plateau between those of Y. rupicola and Y. thompsoniana. K. H. Clary (1997) presented DNA evidence that confirms a close relationship among these three species as distinct entities.