Scientific name: ‘Bencomia brachystachya’
Common name: Bencomia de risco
Family: ‘Rosaceae’
Genus: Bencomia
Endemic to: the rocky slopes of Riscos de Tirajana Natural Monument
Other location: Viera & Clavijo Botanical Gardens
Description: Plant species considered in danger of extinction in the National Catalogue of Species under Threat and in need of a recovery plan. It is a 1.5m tall shrub that is always green and with large rosettes of elevated compound leaves and with hanging inflorescences and small reddish flowers that appear between March and May. Yellow fruits can be seen between May and July. Exclusively endemic to Gran Canaria and very rare, it has a very small population that is thought not even to total 100 specimens. It is of great scientific interest from an evolutionary and biogeographical point of view. The species grows in high mountainous areas, specifically in the cliffs and rocky slopes of Tirajana, Lajiales and to the east of La Culta de Tejeda at an altitude of between 1,300 and 1,700 metres, and always within the Riscos de Tirajana Natural Monument. It has the advantage that it reproduces easily by both seeds and also from cuttings or shoots. It is also of high decorative value and as such is greatly appreciated in gardening. It can be found in cultivation in the Viera & Clavijo Botanical Gardens.
