DRACAENACEAE. 



75 



1. YUCCA L. 



Large scapose or caulescent plants, with short or elongated, sometimes 

 horizontal rootstocks. Leaves firm or rarely thinnish, narrow, rigidly pointed, 

 commonly furnished with thread-like fibers along the edges, serrulate or entire. 

 Flowers in terminal racemes or panicles. Perianth usually white, drooping, 

 subglobose to campanulate; sepals and petals distinct or slightly united at the 

 base. Stamens 6, hypogynous; filaments enlarged above, shorter than the 

 perianth. Ovules numerous in each cavity. Capsule dehiscent, or berry-like 

 and indehiscent. Seeds flattened or turgid. [Aboriginal name.] About 30 

 species, native of North and Central America and the West Indies, the follow- 

 ing typical. 



1. Yucca aloifolia L. Spanish 

 Bayonet. (Fig. 99.) Caudex stout, up 

 to 10° high, often branched; plant usu- 

 ally growing in colonies forming large 

 masses. Leaves 3° long or less, stiff, 

 sharp-pointed, the upper spreading, the 

 older lower ones deflexed, the base ex- 

 panded; panicle ample, often 2° long, 

 showy; perianth white, or purplish- 

 tinged, about 2' long, its segments ob- 

 long; caj)sule pulpy, indehiscent, oblong, 

 2i'-3i' long. Seeds thin. [Yucca serrii- 

 lata of Lefroy, Jones and H. B. Small.] 



Common on sand dunes and on hill- 

 sides. Very abundant and luxuriant on 

 south coast, Somerset Island. Native. 

 Southeastern United States and West Indies. 

 Flowers from spring to autumn. Probably 

 transported to Bermuda by floating. Locally 

 used for hedges. 



Yucca gloriosa L., Elegant Spanish 

 Bayonet, of the southeastern United 

 States, recorded by Jones, is similar with 

 somewhat larger flowers and smaller 

 capsules, the seeds thick. 



Cordyline terminalis (L.) Kunth, Purple Cordyline, Purple Dracaena, 

 of tropical Asia, commonly grown for ornament, has an erect trunk up to 12° 

 high, bearing at the top a tuft of petioled, oblong purple, mottled or green 

 leaves l°-2° long, 4-8' wide with a strong midvein and many nearly parallel 

 nerves, surmounted by a large panicle of spicate white flowers, the 6-parted 

 perianth about V long. [Dracaena terminalis L.] 



Cordyline australis (Forst.) Hook., New Zealand Cordyline or Dracaena, 

 becomes taller than the preceding species and has a terminal tuft of nearly 

 linear, sessile, green, purple or variegated leaves up to 4° long, I'-l^' wide; its 

 white, panicled flowers are 3"-4" long. It is recorded by Lefroy as having been 

 grown in Bermuda and is also mentioned by Jones. [Charlwoodia australis 

 G. Don.] 



Several other kinds of Dracaenas have been introduced as ornamentals, but 

 have either not succeeded very well, or failed altogether. D. Lindeni, a horti- 



