In the Barranca de Metztitlán — a deep, spectacular canyon in the state of Hidalgo, central Mexico, designated a Biosphere Reserve for its extraordinary cactus and xerophyte diversity — a small, unbranched tree yucca with glaucous, papillose leaves and a pendulous inflorescence was described as new to science in 2022. Yucca muscipula — the epithet meaning “flytrap,” though the reason for this choice is not explained in the protologue — was published by María M. Ayala-Hernández, Ramiro Ríos-Gómez, Eloy Solano, and Abisaí García-Mendoza of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Phytotaxa. It is morphologically related to Yucca mixtecana but differs in its shorter stature, unbranched stem, and distinctive glaucous, linear leaves with papillae on both surfaces — a rare leaf character in the genus Yucca. The species grows sympatrically with Yucca filifera and represents one of the most recently described species in the genus.
Quick Facts
| Scientific name | Yucca muscipula Ayala-Hern., Ríos-Gómez, E.Solano & García-Mend. |
| Family | Asparagaceae (subfamily Agavoideae) |
| Origin | Mexico: Hidalgo (Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve) — endemic |
| Adult size | Short tree with unbranched stem |
| Hardiness | Unknown (semi-arid canyon habitat) |
| IUCN | Not assessed |
| Cultivation difficulty | Unknown (not in cultivation) |
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Yucca muscipula was described by Ayala-Hernández, Ríos-Gómez, Solano & García-Mendoza in 2022 (Phytotaxa 543(2): 103–112). The authors are affiliated with the Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza (UNAM) and the Instituto de Biología (UNAM, Jardín Botánico) — two of the most important botanical research institutions in Mexico. Abisaí García-Mendoza, in particular, is one of the leading authorities on Mexican Agavoideae.
The specific epithet muscipula is Latin for “mousetrap” or “flytrap” — famously used for Dionaea muscipula, the Venus flytrap. The reason for this choice is not explicitly explained in the protologue. It may refer to some trapping-like aspect of the leaf arrangement or flower morphology, but this remains unclear.
Nomenclatural status. POWO lists the species. WFO marks it as “unchecked” — the standard status for very recently described taxa awaiting validation across all global databases. Wikipedia (2025) lists it among the three species recognized by POWO that WFO has not yet fully accepted.
Family and subfamily. Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae (APG IV, 2016).
Morphological Description
The protologue in Phytotaxa provides the following diagnostic characters:
Habit
Yucca muscipula is a short tree with an unbranched stem — shorter than the related Yucca mixtecana. When dry, the leaves persist on the distal (upper) portion of the stem after the first flowering, forming a skirt-like accumulation.
Leaves
The leaves are glaucous, linear, with a distinctive character: papillae on both surfaces. This papillose leaf texture is rare in the genus and provides a diagnostic tactile and visual character. The leaf margins are entire (not denticulate or filiferous), separating into recurved filaments — a combination of characters that separates it from all closely related species.
Inflorescence and Flowers
The inflorescence is pendulous — a hanging panicle. The inflorescence branches are glabrous. Flowers and fruits are larger than those of Yucca filifera (with which it grows sympatrically). Yucca filifera also has a pendulous inflorescence and papillose filaments, but differs in having pubescent branches and smaller flowers and fruits.
Similar Species
Yucca mixtecana García-Mend.
The closest morphological relative according to the protologue. Yucca muscipula differs from Yucca mixtecana in being shorter, with an unbranched stem (vs. branching in Yucca mixtecana), and in having glaucous, linear leaves with papillae on both surfaces and an entire margin separating into recurved filaments.
Yucca filifera Chabaud — Palma China
The sympatric species. Both have pendulous inflorescences and papillose filaments. Yucca muscipula differs in having glabrous inflorescence branches (vs. pubescent in Yucca filifera) and larger flowers and fruits.
Distribution and Natural Habitat
Yucca muscipula is endemic to the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve, Hidalgo, Mexico. The Barranca de Metztitlán is a deep, semi-arid canyon system carved into the Sierra Madre Oriental, renowned for its extraordinary xerophyte diversity — it is one of the richest cactus localities in Mexico, home to numerous endemic and rare species across multiple plant families.
The reserve was designated in 2000 and covers approximately 96,000 ha of semi-arid canyon, scrubland, and surrounding montane habitats. The presence of Yucca muscipula alongside Yucca filifera suggests a habitat in the open, arid, canyon-bottom or lower-slope scrub — typical of the Metztitlán flora.
Conservation
Not yet assessed by the IUCN. However, the species’ endemism to a single biosphere reserve is both a vulnerability and a strength: the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve provides formal federal protection, but any threat to the reserve (mining, overgrazing, infrastructure) directly affects the species’ entire known range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it available in cultivation?
No. Yucca muscipula was described in 2022 and is not known to be in cultivation outside its native habitat.
What does “muscipula” mean?
Latin for “mousetrap” or “flytrap.” The reason for this choice is not explained in the protologue and remains obscure.
How does it relate to other yuccas in the region?
It is morphologically closest to Yucca mixtecana (a Oaxacan species) and grows sympatrically with Yucca filifera (the widespread palma china of northern and central Mexico). The pendulous inflorescence links it to the fleshy-fruited group of Mexican tree yuccas.
Reference Databases
- POWO — search for Yucca muscipula
- Phytotaxa — Yucca muscipula protologue (Ayala-Hernández et al. 2022)
Bibliography
- Ayala-Hernández, M.M., Ríos-Gómez, R., Solano, E. & García-Mendoza, A. (2022). Yucca muscipula (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae), a new species from central Mexico. Phytotaxa 543(2): 103–112. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.543.2.1.
- Espejo Serna, A. & López-Ferrari, A.R. (1993). Las Monocotiledóneas Mexicanas: una Sinopsis Florística 1(1): 1–76. Consejo Nacional de la Flora de México.