Beargrass
Sacahuista
Nolina microcarpa
Observed in Devil's Canyon, Pinal County, Arizona, USA. 20 June 2012.
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Blooming flowers are attractive to a variety of insects:
SUCCULENT: The
leaves, many, many dozens, are all basal and clustered at ground level.
UNARMED: Neither the leaf tips nor the margins are sharp.
LEAVES: Leaf bases are thick and then taper gradually until the leaf
ends are fine and grasslike, often shredded into several threads. The margins
are minutely serrate, easily felt when sliding the hand towards base.
RANGE: Very common in the transition of the Sonoran Desert to chaparral
or juniper woodlands. Also found much higher in elevation, mixing into
ponderosa and oak woodlands. This plant is also used in desert xeriscapes.
FLOWERS: The flowers are borne on tall, spindly branches and crowded
with numerous papery bracts in addition. There are numerous short side
branches and tens of thousands of small flowers. Flowers in late spring.
FRUIT: Small fruits are dry when mature and have one to three seeds.