Hesperoyucca peninsularis, the peninsular candle or lechuguilla, is a plant species endemic to the Baja California peninsula. It is a perennial forming a rosette. It is semelparous (flowering once then dying).[2][3]
Hesperoyucca peninsularis | |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asparagaceae |
Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
Genus: | Hesperoyucca |
Species: | H. peninsularis |
Binomial name | |
Hesperoyucca peninsularis (McKelvey) Clary | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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Plants are monocarpic or polycarpic, and sometimes rhizomatous. Some form secondary rosettes at their base while others branch their caudex to produce new rosettes after flowering.[2]
Although morphological characteristics and phylogenetic ITS analysis show that H. peninsularis is somewhat distinct from H. whipplei,[2] it is still widely recognized as either a form or a subspecies of H. whipplei. More conclusive research shows that H. peninsularis and H. whipplei form a polytomy, and are sister to H. newberryi, which is consistent with the fact that the populations of H. newberryi are disjunct from the genus while H. peninsularis and H. whipplei overlap.[4]
It occurs in the coastal succulent scrub of northwestern Baja California south into the Central Desert and the Sierra de San Francisco in Baja California Sur.[5]
This species grows in association with Elephant cactus, Larrea, Boojum trees, barrel cacti, Dudleya, Agave, ragweed and chollas. It grows on granite or basalt soils.[1] The plant tends to grow in clusters but occasionally can be found growing solitarily.[2]
Taxon identifiers |
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