短叶丝兰学名Yucca brevifolia),又名约书亚树,为天门冬科丝兰属下的一个物种[2],属单子叶树木,分布于美国西南部干燥地区,包括加州亚利桑那州犹他州内华达州至西北墨西哥下加利福尼亚南下加利福尼亚州锡那罗亚索诺拉沙漠[3],主要生长于莫哈韦沙漠约书亚树国家公园海拔介于400、1,800米(1,300、5,900英尺)之间的空旷草原(女王山谷英语Queen Valley失马山谷英语Lost Horse Valley)。其他主要分布地区包括莫哈维县金曼;及连接威肯勃格威基阿普93号美国国道沿路,也因此该条公路被指定为是亚利桑那州的约书亚树大道[4]。除此之外,曾有一片茂密的短叶丝兰树林坐落于莫哈维自然保护区英语Mojave National Preserve西玛火山场英语Cima volcanic field,但该处已于2020年8月的一场大火中焚毁[5]

短叶丝兰
科学分类 编辑
界: 植物界 Plantae
演化支 维管植物 Tracheophyta
演化支 被子植物 Angiosperms
演化支 单子叶植物 Monocots
目: 天门冬目 Asparagales
科: 天门冬科 Asparagaceae
亚科: 龙舌兰亚科 Agavoideae
属: 丝兰属 Yucca
种:
短叶丝兰 Y. brevifolia
二名法
Yucca brevifolia
自然分布范围
异名[1]
  • Clistoyucca brevifolia (Engelm.) Rydb.
  • Sarcoyucca brevifolia (Engelm.) Linding.
  • Yucca arborescens (Torr.) Trel.
  • Yucca jaegeriana (McKelvey) L.W.Lenz
  • Yucca brevifolia subsp. jaegeriana (McKelvey) Hochstätter
  • Yucca brevifolia var. jaegerana McKelvey
  • Cleistoyucca arborescens (Torr.) Eastw.
  • Clistoyucca arborescens (Torr.) Trel.
  • Yucca arborescens (Torr.) Trel.
  • Yucca brevifolia var. herbertii (J.M. Webber) Munz
  • Yucca brevifolia fo. herbertii J.M. Webber
  • Yucca brevifolia subsp. herbertii (J.M. Webber) Hochstätter
  • Yucca brevifolia var. jaegerana McKelvey
  • Yucca draconis var. arborescens Torr.

分类学

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短叶丝兰于西班牙语中被称为“izote de desierto”,意思为“沙漠之匕首”[6],最早在1871年由乔治·恩格曼英语George Engelmann于西经100度线地质探勘(或称“惠勒勘测英语Wheeler Survey”)时[7]发现并进行命名发表。

短叶丝兰的别名约书亚树最早是由19世纪中期的一群摩尔门教徒移民于跨越莫哈韦沙漠所命名,这种树扮演了在沙漠中指引他们的角色,且它们的独特外型就如同约书亚伸直的手臂,引领著他们前往上帝耶和华的应许之地迦南(Joshua 8:18–26)[8][9][10];此外,蓬乱的的叶子外型也与胡须相似[11]。然而,并无直接或间接的证明能证实这样的命名起源,唯一的证据就是在摩尔门教徒到来之后,才有了约书亚树这样的别称出现[8][12]。另外,短叶丝兰的外型比起约书亚,更像是《出埃及记》中身处利非订时的摩西[13]

与摩尔门教徒移民同时来到此地的牧场主与矿工会利用短叶丝兰的枝干做成围栏或蒸汽引擎的替代燃料,他们称倒下的短叶丝兰为特维斯(tevis)树桩[14]

除了种名亚种Y. b. subsp. brevifolia外,也包含了其他两个亚种[15]Y. b. subsp. herbertii(赫伯特短叶丝兰)及Y. b. subsp. jaegeriana(耶格尔短叶丝兰),不过它们有时也被视为是变种[6][16][17]变型英语Form (botany)[18]。或是如短叶丝兰的亚种Y. b. subsp. jaegeriana,有时被视为是独立种[19]

描述

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短叶丝兰为快速生长的沙漠物种,新生的幼苗于前十年每年能成长7.6 cm(3.0英寸),而在这之后每年生长约3.8 cm(1.5英寸)[20]。树干由上千的小纤维所组成,缺乏年轮,这让它们的树龄难以被判定。具有深而发达的根系,深度可达11米(36英尺)[21]。如果能撑过沙漠的严酷环境,短叶丝兰的寿命可达数百年,甚至一千年。树高可达15米(49英尺)。新植株可透过种子繁殖,或是透过母株的地下根茎重新长出新植株。

常绿呈暗绿色,基部宽度7至15 mm(0.28至0.59英寸),为细长的刺刀状,长度约15至35 cm(5.9至13.8英寸)。叶片排列呈螺旋状排列丛生于茎部顶端,叶缘为白色并具有锯齿

 
圆锥花序绽放的花朵

期为每年的二月至四月底,为圆锥花序,花序高30至55 cm(12至22英寸)、直径30至38 cm(12至15英寸), 单一花朵长4至7 cm(1.6至2.8英寸),具有六枚奶油白至绿色矛形英语Glossary of leaf morphology花被片雌蕊长3 cm(1.2英寸),柱头腔被裂瓣所围绕。半肉质的果实为棕绿色,呈椭圆形,内有许多扁平的种子。短叶丝兰多半只有在开花之后才会开始分枝(或是当其生长点被象鼻虫啃食破坏时)。它们并不会每年开花,而是和其他沙漠植物一样,必须有合适的降雨情况为前提,并且必须先经历过寒冬的低温刺激。

当它们开花时,花朵会吸引丝兰蛾英语ProdoxidaeTegeticula synthetica英语Tegeticula synthetica)前来授粉,它们在将卵产在花朵内的同时也会沾上花粉。丝兰蛾的幼体主要以种子为食,但短叶丝兰仍能保有足够数量的种子进行繁殖。此外,短叶丝兰也会提早使上面沾有过多蛾卵的花或果实脱落。

栖息与分布地

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果实

短叶丝兰主要分布于美国西南部干燥地区,包括加州亚利桑那州犹他州内华达州至西北墨西哥下加利福尼亚南下加利福尼亚州锡那罗亚索诺拉沙漠[3],约与莫哈韦沙漠地理位置范围相同[21],被视为是该沙漠的生物指标,主要分布海拔介于400、1,800米(1,300、5,900英尺)之间[22]

保育现况

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短叶丝兰被认为是会受到气候变迁影响而改变分布范围的物种之一[23],并在之后可能会完全于约书亚树国家公园中消失,且于21世纪结束前现有分布范围内的短叶丝兰植株数量将减少90%[24][25][26],进而从根本上改变国家公园的生态系。此外,于13,000年前灭绝的沙斯塔地懒英语Nothrotheriops粪便化石中曾发现短叶丝兰的叶片、果实与种子,推测短叶丝兰和酪梨一样,均是主要仰赖地懒来散播种子;在地懒灭绝后,短叶丝兰被认为不再具有迁移至合适气候的能力[24][25]

人为种植与运用

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原分布于较东部较小型的短叶丝兰变型被挑选作为园艺品种,它们的高度仅能达2.5米(8英尺2英寸),约于高1米(3英尺3英寸)时分枝[27]

北扑翅䴕会在短叶丝兰的枝干中筑巢,巢穴废弃后也会被其他鸟类所使用[28]

生活于美国一南部的原住民卡惠拉族英语Cahuilla将短叶丝兰视为是珍贵的资源,并称其为“hunuvat chiy'a”或“humwichawa”。他们的祖先会使用短叶丝兰的叶片来编织凉鞋与篮篓,并食用其种子与花芽,红色的根则是用作染料[28]。短叶丝兰的根含有皂素糖苷[29]

参考文献

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  1. ^ Yucca brevifolia. Tropicos. [2021-10-02]. (原始内容存档于2021-09-26). 
  2. ^ 棕櫚和約書亞樹. [2015-06-11]. (原始内容存档于2013-08-17). 
  3. ^ 3.0 3.1 Yucca brevifolia Engelm.. Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [2020-06-25]. (原始内容存档于2021-11-11). 
  4. ^ Joshua Tree Parkway. Arizona Highways. Arizona Department of Transportation. 3 August 2014 [2020-12-06]. (原始内容存档于2021-09-23). 
  5. ^ Dome Fire torches 43,000 acres in Mojave National Preserve, many Joshua trees burned. [2021-10-02]. (原始内容存档于2021-09-26). 
  6. ^ 6.0 6.1 Yucca. Itis Report. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. [2012-03-30]. (原始内容存档于2021-10-03). 
  7. ^ Yucca brevifolia Engelm.. International Plant Names Index. [2008-12-20]. (原始内容存档于2018-11-14). 
  8. ^ 8.0 8.1 Joshua Tree National Park. Nature and Science: Joshua Trees. National Park Service. [2013-05-27]. (原始内容存档于2015-02-25). 
  9. ^ Joshua Tree National Park. National Geographic Society. [2013-05-27]. (原始内容存档于2016-12-01). 
  10. ^ Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia). Meet the Species: All Species. The California Phenology Project, USA National Phenology Network. [2013-05-27]. (原始内容存档于2015-07-06). 
  11. ^ Peattie, Donald Culross. A Natural History of Western Trees. New York: Bonanza Books. 1953: 304. 
  12. ^ Zarki, Joseph. Joshua Tree National Park. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. 2015: 28 [2021-10-02]. ISBN 9781467132817. (原始内容存档于2021-09-26). 
  13. ^ Saunders, Charles Francis. Why Joshua Tree?. Desert. Vol. 1. 1929: 80 [January 11, 2019]. (原始内容存档于2021-10-11). An application to Mr. Frederick V. Coville, botanist of the Department of Agriculture, elicited the following response: 'The statement is often made that this name Joshua-tree was applied to Cleistoyucca brevifolia because it was this tree which led the Mormons through the desert. I have no means of knowing, however, whether this explanation is authentic or whether it was invented as an explanation of the name. It seems to me more likely that Joshua tree is a garbled Indian name' […] I asked Professor Marcus E. Jones, whose knowledge of the desert flora is unsurpassed, and who has had a long acquaintance with members of the Mormon church. In reply, he kindly wrote as follows: 'The Mormon church officials do not know exactly the origin of the term, but assume that it is from the wide-spreading arms (branches) that in the night remind of the time when in battle Joshua had his arms held up in order to win a battle. This I got from one of the twelve apostles of the Mormon church.' Plausible as this explanation is, its value is more or less shaken when one finds, as I did after looking up the family Bible, that it was Moses, not Joshua, who had his arms held up during the battle, while Joshua conducted the fighting (Ex. 17:8–13). There is, however, another account of a fight, which may be what the Mormon apostle had in mind. It is told in the book of Joshua 7:18–26 [sic]. 
  14. ^ Jane, Rodgers. Vegetation Specialist. Joshua Tree. [6 October 2020]. (原始内容存档于2015-02-25). 
  15. ^ Yucca species. Yuccaagavaceae.com. [2012-03-30]. (原始内容存档于2021-04-23). 
  16. ^ Grandtner, Miroslav M. Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees - North America. Amsterdam: Elsevier. 2005: 973 [2021-10-02]. ISBN 978-0-444-51784-5. (原始内容存档于2021-10-10). 
  17. ^ Magney, David L. Checklist of Ventura County Rare Plants (PDF). California National Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter. 2005-09-19 [2012-03-30]. (原始内容存档 (PDF)于2021-09-26). 
  18. ^ Eggli, Urs. Monocotyledons. Berlin: Springer. 2001: 90–91, 100. ISBN 978-3-540-41692-0. 
  19. ^ Lenz, Lee. Reassessment of Yucca brevifolia and Recognition of Y. jaegeriana as a Distinct Species. Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany. 2007-07-25, 24 (1): 97–104 [2021-10-02]. ISSN 0065-6275. doi:10.5642/aliso.20072401.07 . (原始内容存档于2021-09-26). 
  20. ^ Keith, Sandra L. A tree named Joshua. American Forests. 1982, 88 (7): 40–42. 
  21. ^ 21.0 21.1 Gucker, Corey L. Yucca brevifolia. Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. 2006 [2008-12-20]. (原始内容存档于2018-11-14). 
  22. ^ Gossard, G. The Joshua Tree, a Controversial, Contradictory Desert Centurion. Yellow Rose Publications. 1992. 
  23. ^ Shafer, Sarah L.; Bartlein, Patrick J.; Thompson, Robert S. Potential changes in the distributions of western North America tree and shrub taxa under future climate scenarios. Ecosystems. 2001, 4 (3): 200–215. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.569.228 . S2CID 6214861. doi:10.1007/s10021-001-0004-5. 
  24. ^ 24.0 24.1 Cole, Kenneth L.; Ironside, Kirsten; Eischeid, Jon; Garfin, Gregg; Duffy, Phillip B.; Toney, Chris. Past and ongoing shifts in Joshua tree distribution support future modeled range contraction (PDF). Ecological Applications. 2011, 21 (1): 137–149 [2021-10-02]. PMID 21516893. doi:10.1890/09-1800.1. (原始内容存档 (PDF)于2021-08-09). 
  25. ^ 25.0 25.1 Outlook Bleak for Joshua Trees. National Public Radio. 2008-02-04 [2012-03-30]. (原始内容存档于2021-09-26). 
  26. ^ Singh, Maanvi. 'It makes me angry': is this the end for America's Joshua trees?. The Guardian. 2019-08-10 [2019-08-10]. ISSN 0261-3077. (原始内容存档于2021-10-27) (英国英语). 
  27. ^ Harlow, Nora; Jakob, Kristin (编). Wild lilies, irises, and grasses: gardening with California monocots. Berkeley: University of California Press. 2003: 215. ISBN 978-0-520-23849-7. 
  28. ^ 28.0 28.1 Little, Elbert L. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region Chanticleer Press. Knopf. 1994: 329 [1980]. ISBN 0394507614. 
  29. ^ Burdock, George A. Fenaroli's handbook of flavor ingredients. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. 2005: 1913. ISBN 978-0-8493-3034-6. 

延伸阅读

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  • Cornett, J. W. The Joshua Tree. Palm Springs, California: Natural Trails Press. 1999. 

外部链接

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