Beaucarnea

Beaucarnea is a genus of four species of flowering plant in the family Ruscaceae, native to Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. The genus has been included in Nolina by some botanists and has previously been variously classified in Nolinaceae or Agavaceae. The species are small tropical xerophytic trees growing to 6-10 m tall, with a trunk 20-40 cm diameter with a flared base; young plants are single-stemmed, branching only after flowering. The leaves are evergreen, linear, strap-shaped, 0.5-1.8 m long and 1.5-2 cm broad, leathery in texture, with a finely serrated margin. The flowers are produced only on old trees, forming on large panicles 75-110 cm long, the individual flowers numerous but very small (1.5 mm diameter), greenish-white, with six tepals.

References

1. Germplasm Resources Information Network: Beaucarnea New York Botanic Garden: Beaucarnea pliabilis

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