Nolina beldingii Brandegee var. deserticola Trelease., Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc.

Hernández-Sandoval, Luis & Rebman, Jon P., 2018, The Genus Nolina (Asparagaceae) of the Baja California Peninsula, and the Recognition of a New Species Combination, Systematic Botany (Basel, Switzerland) 43 (3), pp. 717-733 : 721

Nolina beldingii Brandegee var. deserticola Trelease., Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50:424. 1911.

Plants shrubby, with trunks or branches 1 to 3 m tall, branching from the base; rosettes with erect leaves, reflexed when old, persistent. Leaves linear, 0.8 to 1.2 m long, 1.5 to 3.5 cm wide, flat in cross section, green to glaucous green, if the latter then cerose, scabrid, papillate trichomes might be apparent; leaf margins smooth when young, fibrose with age, brown to grayish. Inflorescence ovoid, 1.5 to 2.5 m long; scape 0.9 to 1.5 m long; branches at the base of the inflorescence 30 to 35 cm long with a peduncle 4 to 7 cm long, the rest of the branches 20 cm long, decreasing in size towards the apex to 7 cm, subtended by linear bracts 40 to 43 cm long, sometimes with fibrous margins; branchlets 4 to 5 mm long, subtended by largely triangular bracts 10 cm long, decreasing in size towards the apex to 4 cm, 1 to 2 cm wide at the base, papery. Staminate flowers 2 to 3(–4) per node, campanulate, 2 mm long, 3 mm wide, on pedicels 2 mm long, articulated at the middle, surrounded by membranaceous bracteoles, 1.5–2 mm long, persistent, margins laciniate; tepals oblong to lanceolate, 3 mm long, 1 mm wide, reflexed from the middle at maturity, midbase thickened. Pistillate flowers 2 per node, campanulate 3.5 to 4.0 mm diam, on pedicels 2.5–3.5 mm long, articulate above the

middle, surrounded by membranaceous bracteoles, the external one 3 to 4 mm long, the internal ones 2.0– 2.5 mm long, persistent, margins laciniate; tepals oblong lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm long, 1 mm wide, apex short apiculate, reflexed from the base at maturity; ovules basal, supported by a small, round or shelf-like structure; stigmas sessile, 3-branched. Fruits 1(–2) per node, orbicular to oblongate, 6–7 mm long, 7 to 9(–10) mm wide, on peduncles 3.5 to 5 mm long, articulate above or at the middle; fruit lobes with margins, apically accrescent; stigmas persistent; tepals persistent. Seed 1(–2) per fruit, oblongate to ellipsoid, 3.5–4.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, not exposed at maturity, grayish to glaucous green, rarely reddish, reticulate. Figures 3 , 4 .

Ecology and Distribution —Plants of Nolina bigelovii grow on steep slopes in forests and chaparrals at 540 to 1250 m elevation on granite outcrops of the sierras of the state of Baja California, such as at La Rumorosa in the Sierra de Juárez, Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, Catavi~ ná, Sierra de San Borja, and Isla Angel de la Guarda ( Fig. 4 ). This species is also found in Sonora, Mexico, and in California and Arizona in the USA. It is locally known as “palma.” Flowers are present May to June and fruits from June to November.

Representative Specimens Examined — Mexico.— BAJA CALIFORNIA: Ca ~ nón Cantillas, Jun., 1 Jul. 1884, C. Orcutt s/n ( MEXU) ; Tule Mountains , Mexican boundary line, 11 Feb.1894, E. A. Mearns 2797 ( MO, US) ; Jaraguay, about 50 km SE of San Fernando , 9 Sept. 1905, E. W. Nelson & A. Goldman, 7130 ( US); ( J) Yaraguay, 16 Jul. 1941, Harbison C. 310 ( SD) ; East end of Sierra San Luis ; 26–30 mi north of Punta Prieta , 3 Apr. 1950, H. S. Gentry 8971 ( MEXU, SD) ; Cantillas (Tantillas) Canyon, 8 Sept. 1952, C. Harbison s/n ( SD) ; Summit of Cerro Quemazón, Sierra San Borja, 26 Mar. 1960, R. Moran 8074 ( CAS, SD) ; Canyon above El Terminal, Sierra San Borja, 7 June 1962, R. Moran 9732 ( CAS, SD, US) ; Arroyo de la mina de Santa Marta, 9 June 1962, R. Moran 9763 ( SD) ; Cantu Grade, about 4 mi E of La Rumorosa , near Tecate-Mexicali road, 30 Junio 1962, I. Wiggins 438 ( CAS, MEXU, US) ; Yubay , 10 Oct. 1962, C. Harbison s/n ( SD) ; NW of Cerro San Luis , 2 Mar. 1963, R. Moran 10278 ( CAS, SD) ; Peak ca. 4 miles SE of Refugio Bay, Isla Angel de la Guarda , 22 Mar. 1963, R. Moran 10479 ( CAS, SD, US) ; Rancho La Suerte, San Pedro Mártir, 4 June 1963, R. Moran 11163 ( BCMEX, CAS, SD) ; NE of Yubay , 30 Apr. 1964, C. Harbison s/d ( SD) ; Just above trail down into Cantillas Canyon. El Progreso, Sierra Juárez, 11 Sept. 1965, C. Harbison 392 ( SD) ; Cantillas Canyon, 11 Sept. 1965, Howe D. F. 4132 ( SD) ; 6.9 km (by road) south of La Virgen , 15 Oct. 1966, Hastings J. R. 66–131a ( SD) ; Mouth of Diablo Canyon, Sierra de San Pedro Mártir , 10 Mar. 1971, R. Moran 18313 ( BCMEX, SD) ; ca. 15 mi W of San Felipe , along road to Valle Trinidad, 15 June 1973, H. S. Gentry 23291 ( ASU, MEXU) ; 6 May 1978, R. Moran s/n ( BCMEX) ; Ca ~ nón del Diablo, Sierra San Pedro Mártir, 6 May 1978 R. Moran 25657 ( BCMEX, SD) ; 9 km NW of Rancho Santa Inés , 18 June 1979, W. H. Clark 3160 ( BCMEX, CAS, MEXU) ; Sierra ca. 2 km NE of San Luis , 15 Nov. 1981, R. Moran 29900 ( SD) ; Arroyo El Palmarito ca. 4.5 km NW of Catavi ~ ná, 6 June 1984, J. Dice 467 ( MEXU, SD) ; Arroyo El Palmarito ca. 4.5 km NW of Catavi ~ ná, 6 June 1984, J. Dice 466 ( SD) ; La Rumorosa grade, 23 Feb. 1986, E. Jonsson 1327 ( SD) ; Canón ~ de Guadalupe, along canyon above resort area. 23 Mar. 1986, R. Thorne s/n ( BCMEX) ; Arroyo Yubay. Ca. 0.4 km West of Tinajas of Yubay and ca. 2.3 km ENE of abandoned mine at El Desenga ~ no, 22, June 1986, J. Dice 669 ( SD) ; Sierra La Asamblea: southwest foot of the range near the W edge of Mesa Yubay and the SSW side of Mesa Cuerno de Borrego ; ca. 7.0 road miles NNE of the abandoned site of El Desenga ~ no, 3 May 1993, T. S. Ross 7088 ( SD) ; Canón ~ El Cajón, west of main dirt road providing access to Ca ~ nón de Guadalupe, 15 Mar. 1995, J. Rebman 8730 ( SD) ; Km 52 de la carr. La Rumorosa - Tecate, Nov. 2004, O. Ram´ ırez s/n ( QMEX) ; La Rumorosa , Nov. 2004, O. Ram´ ırez s/n ( QMEX) ; W. Hodgson 2656 (MEXU).

Figures

FIG. 3. Nolina bigelovii. A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Leaf fibers. D. Infructescence. E. Fruit infructescence branch. F. Fruits and seeds. Photos Jon Rebman.

FIG. 4. Distribution of Nolina bigelovii in the Baja California Peninsula.