183 



Descr'nHioH. — Leaves 1 to 2 feet long, very narrow, | of an inch or Icsh wide, thick, 

 siiff, terminating in a needle point; margin with a narrow white hordt'i- and more 

 or less with thread like lilunients; base otthe leaves ninch expanded, nsnally smooth. 

 Flowers white, 1 to 2 inches long ; frnit, a woody, oblong-ovate or cylindrical capsule 

 li to 2| inclies long anOV l-j- inches in diameter, obtuse at the base and beaked at the 

 top; seeds rather large, thin, imd Jlat, ^ to | inch wide. 



88. — Spanish Bayonet. Mexican Banana. (Yucca hacatta, Tovrey.) 



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 phint, bear- 

 ing only a tuft of leaves. It occurs through Kew 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 i)Iains. 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, w^hich are broken down 

 at the base. The mature leaves are thick, stiff, lauced-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 in a 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, ^ 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. — Pirns monophijlla^ 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). Easily recognized 

 by its single needles. Wood soft and weak j used for fuel. Edible 

 seeds, used by the Indians. 



25.a. — Juniperus Calif ornica^ Carr,, var. Utahensis, Eugelm. 



A small tree of 20 to 30 feet in height, with a diameter of 2 to 3 feet, 

 often only a shrub. The common Juniper of central and southern Utah 

 and Nevada, along the lower slopes and the w^estern base of the Wah- 

 satch Mountains (also in Calitbriiia and Arizona), Wood like Il^o. 25. 

 28ft. — Ptelea trifoUata, L. 



(From the East to Mimbres River, N. Mexico.) 

 28^. — Euonymus atroimrpurcuSj Jacq, 



(Fort Union, Mont.) 

 4 1 a.~A cacia millefoli u m . 



Shrub or small tree, 10 feet high, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona. 

 Discovered by G. G-. Priiigle, in July, 18S4, on foothills.^ 

 ^See Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sci., Vol. xxi, p. 427. 



