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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Reproduction
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
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Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Nolina affinis Trel.
2. Nolina texana var. compacta (Trel.) I.M. Johnston

Notes:

Publishing author: I.M.Johnst. Publication: J. Arnold Arbor. 24: 90 1943

Basionym author: (Trel.)

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14:248. 1879

Name verified on 19-Mar-1998 by ARS Systematic Botanists.

Physical Description

Genus Nolina:

Plants perennial, cespitose or arborescent, acaulescent to short-caulescent, scapose, from branched, woody caudices or bulblike structures; usually forming colonies with few to many rosettes. Stems to 25 dm. Leaves forming rosettes; blade linear, not rigid or fibrous, bases broadly expanding, margins serrulate or entire. Scape 0.5-25 dm. Inflorescences paniculate, rarely racemose, 3-18 dm; bracts caducous or occasionally persistent. Flowers 2-5 per node, functionally unisexual, pistillate flowers with staminodes, staminate flowers with reduced pistils; tepals white to cream or tan, 1.3-5 mm, apex glandular; ovary superior; pedicel jointed near middle. Fruits capsular, 3-locular, 3-lobed, thin-walled or sometimes firm-walled, often inflated, mostly notched at base and apex or rounded distally; dehiscent, often splitting irregularly. Seeds closely or loosely invested in capsules, globose, turgid. x = 19.

Species ca. 30: North America (se and sw United States), n and nc Mexico.

In areas of west Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, the species of Nolina are not always well defined. There is variation in the presence or absence of marginal teeth on the leaves and placement of the inflorescences within or beyond the leaves. Collectors should take good notes about the plant habit and morphology and include these with their collections. Further study is needed on Nolina throughout its range. Some species of Nolina are extremely infrequent. Some are on federal and/or state rare and endangered species lists, and possibly some of those listed with a state should be listed federally.

J. C. Dice (1988) studied section Arborescens of Nolina in the United States, and presented extensive descriptions and discussion of N. bigelovii, N. parryi, N. cismontana, and N. interrata.^[1]

Habit: Subshrub, Shrub

Flowers: Flower Color: near white, white

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

North America

Native: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 24-36" apart.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Nolina:

There are approximately 55 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus: N. altamiranoana · N. arenicola (Sand Bear-Grass) · N. atopocarpa (Florida Bear-Grass) · N. beldingi · N. beldingi var. deserticola · N. beldingii · N. bigelovii (Bigelow Beargrass) · N. bigelovii parryi · N. bigelovii var. bigelovii · N. bigelovii wolfii · N. brittoniana (Britton's Bear-Grass) · N. caudata · N. cespitifera · N. cismontana (California Beargrass) · N. durangensis · N. elegans · N. erumpens (Beargrass) · N. erumpens var. compacta · N. georgiana (Georgia Bear-Grass) · N. goldmanii · N. gracilis · N. greenei ( ) · N. greenii · N. guatemalensis (Curly Nolina) · N. hartwegiana · N. histrix · N. hookeri · N. humilis · N. interrata (Dehesa Beargrass) · N. javanica · N. juncea · N. lindheimerana · N. lindheimeriana (Beargrass) · N. loderi · N. longifolia (Oaxacan Tree Nolina) · N. matapensis (Sonoran Tree Bear Grass) · N. micrantha (Bear Grass) · N. microcarpa (Basket Grass) · N. nelsoni · N. nelsonii (Blue Nolina) · N. palmeri · N. palmeri var. brandegeei · N. paradoxa · N. parryi (Bear Grass) · N. parryi wolfii · N. parviflora · N. pliabilis · N. pumila · N. recurvata (Elephant's Foot Tree) · N. recurvata var. albomarginata 'Yellow Star' (Pony Tail Palm) · N. rigida · N. stricta · N. texana (Bunch Grass) · N. tuberculata · N. watsonii

Bibliography

• Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. (F Tex)
• Dice, J. C. 1988. Systematic Studies in the Nolina bigelovii-N. parryi (Nolinaceae) Complex. M.S. thesis. San Diego State University.
• Kearney, T. H. & R. H. Peebles. 1969. Arizona flora, ed. 2. (F Ariz)
• Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico. (F New Mex)
• McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. (F GPlains)
• Trelease, W. 1911. The desert group Nolineae. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50: 404-443.

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2005. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/Taxonomicon/]. Access date: Nov 23, 2005
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 28, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 2 providers.
• The International Plant Names Index. Accessed Jan 19, 2007.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 29, 2008)
• USDA, NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
• World Checklist of Selected Plant Families

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 28, 2008:

• University of Colorado Museum: Zoological specimens
• USDA PLANTS: USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 42996
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 282177
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:538758-1
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMAGA080C0
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: NOTEC
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 50932

Footnotes:

1. William J. Hess "Nolina". in Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 413, 414, 415, 416, 419. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.