150 




























Description.—Leaves 1 to 2 feet long, very uarrow, § of an inch or less wide, thick, 
stiff, terminating ina needle poimt; inargin with a narrow white border and more 
or less with thread like filaments; base of the leaves much expanded, usually smooth, 
Flowers white, L to 2 inches long; fruit, a woody, oblong-ovate or cylindrical capsule 
14 to 2% inches long and 1} inches in diameter, obtuse at the base and beaked at the 
top; seeds rather large, thin, and flat, { to } inch wide, 
88.—SPANISH BAYONET. MEXICAN BANANA. (Yucca bacatta, Torrey.) 
Sometimes a tree 20 to 30 feet in height, with a trunk 1 foot or more 
in diameter, or at the northern limit of its range a stemless plant, bear- 
ing only a tuft of leaves. It occurs through New Mexico to southern 
Colorado (westward into southern California, southward into northern 
Mexico, and also in western Texas), in the latter range often forming 
quite extensive forests on the plains. The wood is of little economic 
value. The fiber of the leaves is strong, and when properly prepared 
by maceration is soft and pliable, furnishing an excellent material for 
making ropes, for which it is considerably employed, as well as by the 
Indians in making horse blankets and mats. Fruit sweetish, edible, 
and locally an important article of food. 
Description.—The trunk is more or less set with dead leaves, which are broken down 
at the base. The mature leaves are thick, stiff, lanced-shaped, and from 1 to nearly 
3 feet long, with a width of 1} to 2 inches, broad at the base, narrowing, broadening 
again midway, and terminating ina long keen spine-point; margined with rather 
coarse threads, curved backward, usually rough or sometimes smooth, and concave 
above. The flowers are large and showy, 2 to 3 inches long; fruit hanging down, 2 
to 4 (sometimes 5) inches long, ovate, oblong or cylindrical, usually with a beak ; 
purple ; seeds blackish, 4 to } inch broad, triangular, flattened on two sides. 
The following species, omitted in the first edition, should be added 
as occurring in the Rocky Mountain region proper: 
5a.-—Pinus monophylla, Torr. and Fremont. | 
A small tree 15 to 20 feet high, found on dry slopes and mesas near 
Utah Lake, Utah (also in California and Arizona). Hasily recognized 
by its single needles. Wood soft and weak; used for fuel. KHdible 
seeds, used by the Indians. 
25a.—J uniperus Californica, Carr., var. Utahensis, Engelm. 
A small tree of 20 to 50 feet in height, with a diameter of 2 to 3 feet, 
often only ashrub. The common Juniper of central and southern Utah 
and Nevada, along the lower slopes and the western base of the Wah- 
satch Mountains (also in Calitornia and Arizona). Wood like No. 25. — 
28a.—Ptelea trifoliata, L. 
(From the East to Mimbres River, N. Mexico.) 
23b.—Huonymus atropurpureus, Jacq. 
(Fort Union, Mont.) . 
41a.—Acacia millefolium. 
Shrub or small tree, 10 feet high, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona. 
Discovered by C. G. Pringle, in July, 1854, on foot hills.! 


1$ee Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sei., Vol. XXI, p. 427. 

