Plant identification help

[royalusa]

Can anyone tell me what this plant is? We saw just a couple of them this past week on the Foothills Trail in SC/NC. I don't believe we've ever seen anything like it before.

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=609320


And for the bonus round, can anyone help us identify a small flying insect with the following description: (cut/pasted from our journal entry)

We also have seen for the second time now, the other time being on the BMT, a flying insect with a white sac. The bug is the size of mosquito; the sac is half the size of a pencil eraser. Sure do wish we knew what they were.

Thanks!

[mweinstone]

the yucca plant.

[mweinstone]

the mayfly...........

[Beachcomber]

the yucca plant.

The yuccas will bloom soon, with a spectacular, six-foot flower stalk coming right out of the middle of the leaves, and waxy, sweet-smelling, nectar-rich blossoms at eye level.

[leaftye]

I disagree about it being yucca, at least not the type around here. The spear leaves aren't pointed enough, and appear rather succulent.

[leaftye]

Here's yucca.




Also, when one yucca blooms, many others in the immediate area also bloom even if the yucca's are of much different ages and sizes.

[leaftye]

[Beachcomber]

I disagree about it being yucca, at least not the type around here. The spear leaves aren't pointed enough, and appear rather succulent.

There are several varieties. I have the more severe, "Spanish bayonet" type, as well as the type pictured, in my own yard. Both have have similar flowers.

[royalusa]

the mayfly...........

Hmmmm... are you sure on the insect identification of a mayfly? I don't see any images online of a mayfly with a white translucent sac under it abdomen. The insect we saw was about the size and shape of small mosquito. Do you have another idea or do you still think mayfly?

Thanks!

[royalusa]

I think the Yucca plant looks right! THANKS!

Learn something new each day.

[Dogwood]

Looks like a yucca to me. Over 40 different species with some slightly different characteristics. Some are even soft tipped to the touch; some I would not even dare attempt to do that. They are downright leathal. Some are more cold hardy.

Some grow quite tall(30+ ft) while others barley get over a few ft tall. Some are quite striking like the SLOW growing Joshua Tree(Yucca brevifolia). A grove of mature 20 ft+Joshua Trees are quite striking silhoutted in a desert sunset.

Yucca is a succulent in the lily family

[WhoDey]

Identifying insects is a very difficult thing to do especially without a specimen or a picture. Many insects have widely varied appearances. Do you know what the legs looked like? Do you remember what the wings were like? Any other identifying information would help as well as the insects behavior.

[Erin]

That looks like our yucca. Was there a cemetery or an old foundation nearby?

[Tinker]

Plant looks exactly like yuccas I've been dealing with landscaping for thirty-something years here in the northeast.
The insect? Need more info. It's too big for a fruitfly.

[Penguin]

In the pic I can see little fibers curling off the leaves. This is the sign that it could be a variety of yucca, Yucca sp.. Though it's really hard to tell.

[colonel r]

check out this site and No 48.

http://www.easttennesseewildflowers....oadsides-White

[royalusa]

Thanks everyone for all their help on identifying the plant!

In regards to identifying the insect, I wish we had a picture and/or a better description. The most telling characteristic of it is that "translucent white sac". I guess I'll just call it a UFO for now, as that fits.

Thanks again, all!

[royalusa]

That looks like our yucca. Was there a cemetery or an old foundation nearby?

We were on a woods road, but I'm not aware of any cemetery or old foundation, though there very well could have been.

[mweinstone]

i know the insect. its a fishing fly sold widely. looks like a tiny dragonflys body and moskito wings.
trout like em.they dont bite. and they only are in may. i think its a mayfly.

[royalusa]

i know the insect. its a fishing fly sold widely. looks like a tiny dragonflys body and moskito wings.
trout like em.they dont bite. and they only are in may. i think its a mayfly.

Ahhh...sticking with your story, huh. GOOD! Guess I had better go back and do some more google image searches to find our little mayfly bug with the white sac showing.

How do you guys know all this stuff? Seems like each year I learn 5 new flowers or plants only to forget about 10 I learned the previous years.