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Dasylirion durangense

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dasylirion durangense
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Nolinoideae
Genus: Dasylirion
Species:
D. durangense
Binomial name
Dasylirion durangense
Trel.
Synonyms[1]
  • Dasylirion wheeleri var. durangense Laferr.

Dasylirion durangense, common name "sotol," is a perennial plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Durango, Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. It is closely related to D. wheeleri S. Wats. and considered a variety of that species by some authors.[2] The plant has a large basal rosette of long stiff leaves over 1 m in length, bearing sharp, curved spines along the margins. The flowering stalk can be up to 3 m tall, bearing small wind-pollinated flowers.[3]

Some publications misspell the epithet as "duranguense" or "duranguensis." "Durangense" is correct.

Uses

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The indigenous peoples of the Sierra Madre Occidental (Tarahumara, Pima Bajo, and Tepehuan) use the sweet immature flowering stalk to produce a distilled alcoholic beverage, also called sotol. They also strip the spines off the margins of the leaves and use the leaves to make baskets, holiday decorations and other items.[4][5][6]

References

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  1. ^ Tropicos Dasylirion durangense
  2. ^ Laferrière, Joseph E. 1991. Dasylirion wheeleri var. durangense: a new combination in the Nolinaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(2):516-520.
  3. ^ Trel., Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50: 438. 1911.
  4. ^ Pennington, C. W. 1963 The Tarahumar of Mexico: Their Material Culture. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
  5. ^ Pennington, C. W. 1969. The Tepehuan of Chihuahua: their material culture. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
  6. ^ Laferrière, Joseph E., & Willard Van Asdall. 1991. Plant use in Mountain Pima holiday decorations. Kiva 57:27-38.