Yucca filamentosa L.

ADAM'S NEEDLE

**

**

Yucca flaccida has been recognized as a distinct species but there is some uncertainty on how it is characterized. Hess & Robbins (in FNA, vol. 26) characterized Y. flaccida by its "mostly pubescent" inflorescence with tepals 3-5 cm long while Ward's (2006) proposed neotype of Y. flaccida was described as having a glabrous inflorescence. Ward (2011) did not comment on inflorescence pubescence but characterized Y. flaccida by its spreading inflorescence branches, leaves not concave, short and stiff leaf-margin fibers (to 4 cm), and other floral differences. An oddly close relationship between Y. aloifolia and Y. flaccida based on plastid DNA restriction sites (see Clary & Simpson 1995) has not been reinvestigated.

Native