Dasylirion texanum

Botanical Description

Dasylirion texanum is an evergreen, succulent perennial plant producing a short trunk up to 50cm long upon which there is a rosette of narrow, arching leaves that can each be around 70 - 130cm long and 10 - 20mm wide. The plant usually flowers annually, producing a flowering stem that can be around 2 - 4 metres long. The various Dasylirion species were once a major source of food and materials for people in the arid and semi-arid regions of southwestern N. America from Arizona to Texas and south to central Mexico. The stemsprovide a starch-rich food that can also be fermented into a potent alcoholic beverage, whilst the leaves and stems providematerials for thatch, weaving, basketry and construction[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. , 411 Title Trees and Shrubs of Mexico Publication Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23 Author Standley P.C. Publisher Smithsonian Institution; Washington Year 1926 ISBN Description Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.