248 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



* * Seed bursting the cell before maturity and remaining exposed. 



6. N. Texana. Stems very short, a foot or two high including 

 the panicle, several from a very short caudex : leaves covering the 

 ground, a line or two broad, concavo-convex below, triangular toward 

 the apex, 2 to 4 feet long, roughish on the margins : panicle com- 

 pound, the main bracts large and foliaceous with dilated bases : capsules 

 2-3 lines broad before rupture, on pedicels 2 or 3 lines long : seed 

 globose, nearly smooth, 2 lines in diameter. — Texas (Austin to the 

 Nueces; n. 550, 712, Lindheimer; n. 692, Wright; n. 635, Hall). 

 Flowering in March ; in fruit in May. Referred to the Mexican Beaa- 

 carnea Hartwegiana by Baker, 1. c. 



7. N. erumpens. Stem 2 to 5 feet high, somewhat rough- 

 scabrous : leaves thick, concavo-convex and somewhat carinate, half 

 an inch broad above the base, 2 or 3 feet long, very strongly serrulate : 

 panicle compound, with large dilated bracts ; partial panicles pyramidal, 

 6 inches long, with the lower subdivaricate branchlets 2 or 3 inches 

 long : stigmas linear, distinct, sessile : pedicels 2 lines long or less. — 

 Dasylirion erumpens, Torr. Bot. Mex. Bound. 216. Beaucarnea, 

 Baker, 1. c. 326. Western Texas (between the Rio Pecos and the 

 Rio Grande). 



8. N. Palmeri. Stem glabrous : leaves probably flat and broad, 

 very strongly serrulate : panicle compound, 3 feet long and narrow, 

 the partial panicles only 3 inches long or less, and the branchlets an 

 inch long ; bracts similar : stigmas upon a short style : fruit 2 lines 

 broad before rupture, on pedicels 2 lines long: seeds globose, with 

 minutely wrinkled testa. — Lower California (Tantillas Mountains ; 

 Palmer, 1875). 



9. N. humilis. Stems stout, very short (a foot high or less, including 

 the panicle), clustered, from a subterranean rootstock : leaves 2 feet 

 long, 2 to 4 lines broad at base, becoming very narrow, more or less 

 channelled above and usually carinate beneath, triangular toward the 

 apex, very rough on the margin : panicle 4 to 6 inches long, with 

 simple suberect branches, dense: flowers large, the segments \\ lines 

 long : capsule equalling the pedicel, 3 lines long before rupture, thin- 

 membranous : seed obovate, 3 lines long, with a white smooth thick 

 and subcrustaceous testa. — Among rocks, San Luis Mountains, 

 Mexico; Parry & Palmer (n. 874, 875). 



The remaining Mexican species of Beaucarnea, described by Mr. 

 Baker, 1. c, are doubtless all to be referred to this genus, but are very 

 imperfectly known. 



