Dasylirion durangense
| Dasylirion durangense | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Nolinoideae |
| Genus: | Dasylirion |
| Species: | D. durangense
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dasylirion durangense Trel.
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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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[edit]
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[edit]
- ^ Tropicos Dasylirion durangense
- ^ Laferrière, Joseph E. 1991. Dasylirion wheeleri var. durangense: a new combination in the Nolinaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(2):516-520.
- ^ Trel., Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50: 438. 1911.
- ^ Pennington, C. W. 1963 The Tarahumar of Mexico: Their Material Culture. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
- ^ Pennington, C. W. 1969. The Tepehuan of Chihuahua: their material culture. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
- ^ Laferrière, Joseph E., & Willard Van Asdall. 1991. Plant use in Mountain Pima holiday decorations. Kiva 57:27-38.