Hesperaloe chiangii

Hesperaloe chiangii
	Hesperaloe chiangii in April in Mexico
Systematics
	Monocots
Order :	Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family :	Asparagaceae (Asparagaceae)
Subfamily :	Agave family (Agavaceae)
Genre :	Hesperaloe ( hesperaloe )
Type :	Hesperaloe chiangii
Scientific name
	Hesperaloe chiangii
	( GDStarr ) BLTurner

Hesperaloe chiangii (English common names "Narrow Leaf Hesperaloe" and "San Luis Potosí Hesperaloe") is a species of the genus Hesperaloe in the agave family .

description

Hesperaloe chiangii is rhizomatous , stemless and forms large clumps with a diameter of over 2 m. The stiff, upright, deeply channel-shaped, lanceolate , green leaves are 100 to 150 cm long. From the base to the middle they are 5 to 6 cm wide. The variable, white to gray, strong edge fibers are 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide.

The inflorescence becomes 2 to 4 m high. Long branches form on the upper half. The tubular single flowers that open at night are up to 30 mm long and 25 mm wide. The tepals are white inside and pink-red outside.

The fruits are woody, egg-shaped to rounded capsules 25 to 30 mm long and 25 mm wide.

Distribution and systematics

Hesperaloe chiangii is located in Mexico in the state of San Luis Potosí in grasslands on flat hills at an altitude of 1500 m. The species grows together with Yucca carnerosana , Yucca filifera , Agave scabra and various types of cacti.

Hesperaloe chiangii is rarely found in collections worldwide. In Central Europe it is frost hardy to minus 15 ° C. It can easily be confused with types of yucca . The strong, long twisted edge fibers are characteristic.

The valid description by Billie Lee Turner under the name Hesperaloe chiangii was published in 2002. A synonym is Hesperaloe funifera subsp. chiangii G.D. Starr . The species was already collected in 1891 by Cyrus Guernsey Pringle (1838-1911).

photos

ripe fruit
With characteristic edge fibers

Individual evidence

↑ Lundellia : Volume 5, p. 39, 2002
↑ Madroño . Volume 44, No. 3, pp. 289-291, 1997

literature

Fritz Hochstätter: The genus Hesperaloe (Agavaceae) . In: CactusWorld . Volume 27, No. 2, pp. 98-99, 2009.

[1] Lundellia : Volume 5, p. 39, 2002

[2] Madroño . Volume 44, No. 3, pp. 289-291, 1997