Nolina microcarpa

Nolina microcarpa S. Watson

by Nate Gwinn, Native Plants of Arizona 2004

Common names: beargrass, sacahuista, Palmilla sacahuista, basketgrass, nolina (1, 3, 4).

Family: Agavaceae (3, 4)

Synonymy: none
Etymology: Nolina is honorific, named after C.P. Nolin a French agricultural writer. Microcarpa translates into “small fruit” (6, 5).

Identification

Growth form: Perennial subshrub, long, thin green leaves forming large basal rosette, flower stalk to 2.4 m in height. (1, 3, 4).
Roots: Root depth at a minimum of 50 cm. N. microcarpa has a low salinity tolerance and a soil pH range from 6.50 to 9.50 (1).

Stem: none.

Leaves: Long, thin, firm but not rigid, grass-like, serrulate, average 6.0 to 12.0 mm in width, up to 1.2 m in length, light green in color (3, 4).

Inflorescence/flowers: Inflorescence is a dense raceme on a tall flower stalk up to 2.4 m in height. Individual flowers small being less than 1.0 cm in length and width, oftentimes appearing bended or crooked, and are creamy white in color. Flowers incomplete and mostly unisexual. Sepals and petals less than 5.0 mm in length, both containing a single vein. Flowers toxic to browsing mammals including livestock (2, 3, 4).

Fruit: Papery capsule with three carpels with each carpel containing three or fewer globose seeds. Capsules up to 1 cm in diameter, seeds up to 2.5 mm in diameter (3, 4).

Similar species: Nolina bigelovii similar in growth form however its leaves are more sharply serrate and are stiff and leathery (3).

Ecology

Life history: Perennial subshrub (1).

Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1).

Photosynthetic pathway:

Phenology: Blooms in mid spring, fruit production begins in the late spring and ends in the summer (1).

Distribution: Southwestern United States from Utah through Arizona to New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Prefers rocky slopes and exposed areas on mountainsides with sandy soils, occurring from pinyon-juniper woodlands to deserts (1, 3, 4).

Uses

Leaves used by Mexicans and Native Americans for basketry, Native Americans used bud stalks for food (3).

References

1. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

2. ARS Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) (http://www.ars-grin.gov)

3. Epple, A. O. 1995. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Falcon Publishing. Helena, Montana.

4. Carter, J. L. 1997. Trees and Shrubs of New Mexico. Johnson Books. Boulder, Colorado.

5. Borror, D.J. 1988. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. Mayfield Publishing Company. Mountain View, California.

6. California Plant Names: Latin name meanings and derivations http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/

Nolina microcarpa S. Watson by Nate Gwinn, Native Plants of Arizona 2004 Common names: beargrass, sacahuista, Palmilla sacahuista, basketgrass, nolina (1, 3, 4). Family: Agavaceae (3, 4) Synonymy: none Etymology: Nolina is honorific, named after C.P. Nolin a French agricultural writer. Microcarpa translates into “small fruit” (6, 5). Identification Growth form: Perennial subshrub, long, thin green leaves forming large basal rosette, flower stalk to 2.4 m in height. (1, 3, 4). Roots: Root depth at a minimum of 50 cm. N. microcarpa has a low salinity tolerance and a soil pH range from 6.50 to 9.50 (1). Stem: none. Leaves: Long, thin, firm but not rigid, grass-like, serrulate, average 6.0 to 12.0 mm in width, up to 1.2 m in length, light green in color (3, 4). Inflorescence/flowers: Inflorescence is a dense raceme on a tall flower stalk up to 2.4 m in height. Individual flowers small being less than 1.0 cm in length and width, oftentimes appearing bended or crooked, and are creamy white in color. Flowers incomplete and mostly unisexual. Sepals and petals less than 5.0 mm in length, both containing a single vein. Flowers toxic to browsing mammals including livestock (2, 3, 4). Fruit: Papery capsule with three carpels with each carpel containing three or fewer globose seeds. Capsules up to 1 cm in diameter, seeds up to 2.5 mm in diameter (3, 4). Similar species: Nolina bigelovii similar in growth form however its leaves are more sharply serrate and are stiff and leathery (3). Ecology Life history: Perennial subshrub (1). Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1). Photosynthetic pathway: Phenology: Blooms in mid spring, fruit production begins in the late spring and ends in the summer (1). Distribution: Southwestern United States from Utah through Arizona to New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Prefers rocky slopes and exposed areas on mountainsides with sandy soils, occurring from pinyon-juniper woodlands to deserts (1, 3, 4). Uses Leaves used by Mexicans and Native Americans for basketry, Native Americans used bud stalks for food (3). References 1. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. 2. ARS Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) (http://www.ars-grin.gov) 3. Epple, A. O. 1995. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Falcon Publishing. Helena, Montana. 4. Carter, J. L. 1997. Trees and Shrubs of New Mexico. Johnson Books. Boulder, Colorado. 5. Borror, D.J. 1988. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. Mayfield Publishing Company. Mountain View, California. 6. California Plant Names: Latin name meanings and derivations http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/