Beaucarnea is a genus of flowering plantsnative to Mexico and Central America.[1] In the APG III classification system, it is placed in the familyAsparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae[3]). Beaucarnea is sometimes treated as a synonym of the genus Nolina, with the species being then transferred to that genus. However, recent research shows that Beaucarnea should be treated as an independent genus.[4]
The species are small tropicalxerophytictrees 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.
Calibanus
The now defunct genus Calibanus was first formally described in 1906 by Joseph Nelson Rose,[5] with Calibanus including two species. More recent research using molecular (phylogenetic) and morphological findings demonstrated that both former Calibanus species were closely related to Beaucarnea species, leading to both former Calibanus species being transferred to the genus Beaucarnea.[6][7]
^Chase, M.W.; Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.F. (2009), "A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae", Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161 (2): 132–136, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00999.x
^Rojas-Piña, Vanessa; Olson, Mark E.; Alvarado-Cárdenas, Leonardo O.; Eguiarte, Luis E. (2014-12-22). "Molecular phylogenetics and morphology of Beaucarnea (Ruscaceae) as distinct from Nolina, and the submersion of Calibanus into Beaucarnea". Taxon. 63 (6): 1193–1211. doi:10.12705/636.31.
