Beaucarnea gracilis
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Beaucarnea gracilis |
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Beaucarnea gracilis is a species of the genus Beaucarnea in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). An English common name is "Ponytail Palm, Sotolin, Tehuacan Valley Beaucarnea".
description
Beaucarnea gracilis grows tree-like up to 14 m high with irregular branches. It forms a strongly thickened caudex. The stiff, warty, linear, bluish leaves with finely toothed edges are 30 to 60 cm long and 4 to 7 mm wide.
The panicle inflorescence is 100 to 150 cm high with 30 to 40 cm wide, irregularly arranged branches. The flowers are cream to white.
The spherical to egg-shaped capsule fruits contain a seed and are 7 to 9 mm long and up to 10 mm wide. The triangular seeds are up to 3 mm in diameter.
Systematics and distribution
Beaucarnea gracilis grows endemic to Mexico in the state of Oaxaca in the Xerophyte region. It is associated with Yucca periculosa , Agave marmorata , Agave triangularis and various Coryphantha and Mammillaria species.
It was first described in 1861 by Charles Lemaire . Some of the numerous synonyms are Beaucarnea oedipus Rose (1906) and Pincenectitia gracilis Lem. (1861).
Beaucarnea gracilis is a member of the Papillatea section . The species is endemic to the semi-arid Tehucan Valley in the state of Oaxaca. The slender, irregularly branched trees with the basal thickened caudex are characteristic. The stiff, bluish leaves with the finely toothed leaf edges are typical. In the Botanical Garden in Hanbury in La Mortola, Italy imposing specimens can be visited. The flowering time in culture is in summer.
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literature
- Mary & Gary Irish: Agaves, yuccas, and related plants: A gardener's guide . Timber Press, 2000, ISBN 0881924423 . Pp. 184-185.
- CC Walker: Beaucarnea . In: Urs Eggli (Hrsg.): Succulent lexicon. Monocotyledons . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3662-7 , pp. 300 .
