There are two large plants in the authors’ yard: a yucca tree and an enormous prickly pear cactus.
Both have rough, scaly bark, but it is known that these plants are not closely related. (a) What are
two different explanations for the similarity of the bark? (b) It is also known that yuccas are
descended from a grass species instead of a tree species. Which of the two explanations given in
part a is consistent with this fact?
Solution
A) Two different explanations for the similarity in bark
i) yucca plants adapt to the environment that they live in. Depending on the type of environment,
the yucca plants develop fleshy thick leaves for deserts. They also adapt to the mountains,
coastal sands, grasslands and prairies.
ii) there are some yuccas which are also common to the southwest desert scene. They have
similar characteristics like the traditional cactus. There is a high chance that the yucca present in
the author\'s yard is a desert origin yucca, thus a similarity in the bark.
Yucca filamentosa , which is the grass species of yucca is more found in the desert environment
than the other species of yucca. The second explanation for the similarity in bark is more
consistent in this case with the variation in species ..
There are two large plants in the authors’ yard a yucca tree and an.pdf
1. There are two large plants in the authors’ yard: a yucca tree and an enormous prickly pear cactus.
Both have rough, scaly bark, but it is known that these plants are not closely related. (a) What are
two different explanations for the similarity of the bark? (b) It is also known that yuccas are
descended from a grass species instead of a tree species. Which of the two explanations given in
part a is consistent with this fact?
Solution
A) Two different explanations for the similarity in bark
i) yucca plants adapt to the environment that they live in. Depending on the type of environment,
the yucca plants develop fleshy thick leaves for deserts. They also adapt to the mountains,
coastal sands, grasslands and prairies.
ii) there are some yuccas which are also common to the southwest desert scene. They have
similar characteristics like the traditional cactus. There is a high chance that the yucca present in
the author's yard is a desert origin yucca, thus a similarity in the bark.
Yucca filamentosa , which is the grass species of yucca is more found in the desert environment
than the other species of yucca. The second explanation for the similarity in bark is more
consistent in this case with the variation in species .
