94 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



Puebla and probably in Oaxaca and Veracruz ; described from cultivated 

 plants, from TehuacSn, Puebla. 



Sometimes 6 meters high, with few branches, slender, with rather smooth 

 bark ; leaves 35 to 50 cm. long, 2 to 3.5 cm. wide, short-pointed, finely and 

 abundantly filiferous, with brown threads ; panicle about a meter long, tomen- 

 tose, the flowers creamy white, 



17, Yucca macrocarpa (Torr.) Coville, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 4: 202. 1893. . 

 Yucca haccata macrocarpa Torr. U, S. & Mex. Bound. Bot. 221. 1859. 



Dry plains and hillsides. Chihuahua. Western Texas to southern Arizona ; 

 type from plains near the Limpio, Texas. 



Usually 3 to 5 meters high, but often lower, simple, or with few short 

 branches; leaves 50 to 100 cm. long, 4 to 5 cm, wide, usually rough, pungent, 

 yellowish green, coarsely filiferous ; panicle glabrous or somewhat pubescent, 

 the flowers creamy white, 4 cm. long ; fruit 7.5 to 10 cm. long. " Palma criolla " 

 (Chihuahua, Texas) ; "palma" (New Mexico), 



The leaves are used extensively by the Indians of southern New^ Mexico for 

 making baskets. 



18. Yucca mohavensis Sarg, Gard. «& For. 9: 104, 1896,. 

 ? Yucca schidigera Roezl, Belg. Hort, 1880: 51. 1880. 



Dry plains, Baja California, California to Arizona ; type from the Mohave 

 Desert. 



Sometimes 4.5 meters high but usually lower, simple or with few short 

 branches, the trunk 20 cm. or less in diameter ; leaves 45 to 80 cm. long, about 

 4 cm, wide, smooth; panicles 30 to 45 cm. long, the flowers 2.5 to 4 cm. long, 

 white, often tinged with purple; fruit 7,5 to 10 cm, long, yellowish, becoming 

 purplish or black ; w©od porous, light brown, the specific gravity about 0.27, 



5. NOLINA Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer. 1 : 208. 1803. 

 Reference: Trelease, Proc, Amer, Phil, Soc. 50: 412-426, 1911, 

 Plants acaulescent or with well-developed trunks ; leaves linear, often rough 

 on the margins ; flowers very small, whitish, paniculate ; fruit papery, contain- 

 ing 3 globose seeds. 



It is said that the trunks are sometimes roasted and the interior portion 

 eaten. The leaves are very tough and useful for thatching, brooms, baskets, 

 coarse hats, mats, etc. Their fiber is used locally for cordage and enters some- 

 what into the cordage materials of the United States. 



In Durango (and probably elsewhere) the various species are known as 

 •• zacate cortador," " zacate de armaz6n," " zacate de aparejo," and " palmilla." 

 In the United States the name " bear-grass " Is applied. 



Leaves 15 to 40 mm. wide, usually not brushlike at the tip; bracts usually 

 papery, often showy. Plants treelike. 

 Pedicels scarcely half as long as the fruit ; leaves rather thick, 



13. N. bigelovii. 

 Pedicels nearly or quite as long as the fruit ; leaves rather thin. 



Leaves 3 to 4 cm, wide 14, N, nelsoni. 



Leaves 1.5 to 3 cm. wide. 



Primary divisions of the inflorescence about 50 cm. long ; leaves glauces- 



cent 15, N. beldingi. 



Primary division of the inflorescence 25 to 30 cm, long ; leaves green. 



Leaves .spreading or erect 16, N, parviflora. 



Leaves drooping 17, N, longifolia. 



