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Key to Yucca

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1 Plants caulescent when fully developed (an erect shrub or small tree), the lower parts of the stem readily visible because no longer clothed with leaves.
..2 Leaf margins regularly fraying from the leaf as stiff threads; leaves 3-5 cm wide; fruits pendent berries with soft flesh, 7-14 cm long; [e. TX westwards]
..2 Leaf margins not fraying from the leaf as stiff threads; leaves 2.5-8 cm wide; fruits pendent or erect berries with leathery or soft flesh, 2.5-11.5 cm long; [collectively widespread, from se. VA south to s. FL, west to s. AZ].
....3 Fruits with soft flesh, 5-11.5 cm long; leaves very stiff; leaf surface dull; leaves persistent only on upper trunk; [c. TX westwards]
....3 Fruits with leathery or soft flesh, 2.5-8 cm long; leaf surface waxy, shiny; leaves persistent all along frunk; [e. TX eastwards].
......4 Leaf margins minutely notched-serrulate, particularly toward the base; seeds 2.5 mm thick, marginless
......4 Leaf margins entire, smooth, hyaline-brown or hyaline-yellow; seeds ca. 1 mm thick, margined.
........5 Leaf blades rigid, straight; fruits pendent, 5.5-8 cm long; [of NC south to FL]
........5 Leaf blades recurved, flexible; fruits generally erect, 2.5-4.5 cm long; [of GA westward]
1 Plants acaulescent (with a cluster of basal leaves) or with a short stem < 3 dm tall above ground level and clothed with numerous leaves (no part of the aerial stem nonleafy and obviously visible).
..........6 Leaf margins fraying from the leaf as stiff threads.
............ 7 Inflorescence branches glabrous; tepals 5-7 cm long; leaves 2-6 cm wide, stiff, the apex acute-acuminate to obtuse, often concave upward at the apex, the marginal fibrils usually elongate (to 20 cm long)
............ 7 Inflorescence branches scurfy-pubescent; tepals 3-5 cm long; leaves 1.5-4 cm wide, pliable, the apex attenuate-acuminate, not notably concave, the marginal fibrils usually short (to 4 cm long).
............ ..8 Leaves 1.5-4 cm wide, abundantly thread-margined; [widespread]
............ ..8 Leaves 1-3 cm wide, sparingly thread-margined; [mainly west of the Mississippi River, rarely in the Florida parishes of e. LA]
..........6 Leaf margins not fraying from the leaf as stiff threads, minutely notched-serrulate or entire, and hyaline.
............ ....9 Mature leaves undulate-margined, twisted longitudinally; upper leaf surface strongly concave near its midpoint; [c. TX]
............ ....9 Mature leaves straight-margined, not twisted; upper leaf surface flat or slightly concave near its midpoint (becoming more concave near the tip); [c. and e. TX].
............ ......10 Plants solitary; leaves (3-) 3.5-6.5 cm wide; mature leaves blue-green and glaucous; inflorescence axes pubescent; inflorescence branches recurved or drooping; [e. TX]
............ ......10 Plants solitary or forming of up to 30 rosettes via branching subterranean caudices; leaves 1-3.2 (-4.5) cm wide; mature leaves green; inflorescence axes glabrous or pubescent; inflorescence branches spreading or ascending; [c. and nc. TX]
............ ........11 Plants solitary or forming colonies of 2-10 rosettes; leaves 1-2.5+ cm wide; mature leaves green, with margins reddish-brown; [coastal se. TX]
............ ........11 Plants forming colonies of 10-30 rosettes; leaves (1-) 2.5-3.2 (-4.5) cm wide; mature leaves olive or yellowish-green, the margins yellowish; [c. and nc. TX]
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