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Green Sotol

Dasylirion leiophyllum Engelm. ex Trel.

Comments

provided by eFloras
Dasylirion leiophyllum hybridizes with D. texanum in the area of overlap. Specimens with mixed prickle curvature have been treated as D. heteracanthum, but on the whole these resemble D. leiophyllum, and so D. heteracanthum is reduced to synonomy here.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
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Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Description

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Plants typically large and robust, with small crowns; trunks to 1 m, erect or reclining. Leaves elongate, rigid; blade bright green, 90–110 × (1.5–)2–3 cm wide above broadened base, usually smooth and shiny, glabrous, not waxy; prickles mostly retrorse. Inflorescences 2.5–5 m; stalk 3–5 cm diam. at base; branches mostly basal, erect, 4–10 cm; bracts lanceolate; fascicles of flowers condensed, 8–12 cm from base to tip; primary axes 2–5 cm. Flowers with receptacles 0.2–0.4 mm; tepals whitish or greenish, 1.8–2 × 1 mm; style 0.2–0.3 mm; stigma lobes 0.3–0.4 mm; pedicel 2–2.4 mm in fruit. Capsules ellipsoid to obovoid, 6–7 × 4–4.5 mm; distal wing lobes 1.5–2 mm, rounded in cross section, not indented.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Distribution

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N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila).
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flowering/Fruiting

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Flowering mainly Jun--Jul.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Habitat

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Gravelly limestone and igneous slopes, bajadas, canyons, and arroyos of mountains; 1200--1800m.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Synonym

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Dasylirion heteracanthum I. M. Johnston
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 422, 423 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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Common Names

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
green sotol
smooth-leaf sotol
smooth sotol
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bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Description

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: capsule, fruit, indehiscent, shrub

Green sotol is a large leaf-succulent shrub [2,15]. The leaves
are 0.7 to 0.9 inches (2-2.5 cm) broad, 23 to 31 inches (60-80 cm) long,
and basally clumped from a short trunk [2,15]. The inflorescence is a
stout, narrow, spicate panicle [about 1 foot (0.3 m) long] borne on a
rather tall scape. The fruit is an indehiscent, winged capsule [15].

No specific information was found in the literature regarding longevity
or roots. However, a similar species, Texas sotol (Dasylirion texanum)
has a large number of roots, each about 0.2 inch (0.5 mm) in diameter,
forming a cluster at the base of the stem. The roots of Texas sotol run
downward at an acute angle and also extend horizontally into the soil.
The roots are coarse and are found between 5.9 to 14.1 inches (15-36 cm)
below the soil surface.
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Distribution

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Green sotol occurs from southern Texas in the Rio Grande region
north into New Mexico and south to central Chihuahua, Mexico. In Texas,
it also occurs at Presidio, Eagle Pass, and Van Horn; in New Mexico
green sotol occurs in the Florida Mountains [2,15].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Ecology

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: fuel

Green sotol occurs in southwestern desert and semidesert plant
communities of North America that are subject to naturally occurring
fire [9]. Small, presumably young, plants have green leaves extending
to the ground and are usually only slightly scorched by fire [9]. The
sheath of dead leaves surrounding the trunk of mature green sotols
makes them especially susceptible to fire, and plants with fire-girdled
trunks usually die [1].

Mature green sotols are tall enough and have sufficient fuel at
the base that fires will ignite after plants are struck by lightning
[9]. These large plants contribute to fire travel, but their spacing is
such that other fuel is often required to carry fire from one
green sotol to another. Plant material covered only about 60
percent of the ground in grama grass-rosette scrub communities in the
Chisos Mountains, Texas [19]. Green may burn for hours. If the
stem burns through, the top of the plant may spread fire by falling and
rolling downhill. Suppression crews frequently chop mature green
sotols off at their trunks and split them open to check fire spread [9].

Green sotol regrows from the terminal bud after fire [1].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Management Considerations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: cover, shrubs

Periodic fires can be used to maintain or even increase grass cover at
the expense of shrubs such as green sotol in desert communities
[1,9].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)

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More info on this topic.

More info for the term: chamaephyte

Chamaephyte
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bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat characteristics

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: shrub

Green sotol is found on hillsides, in deciduous woodlands, and in
grasslands of desert regions [2,7]. It is often found growing in soils
with limestone substrate [7,11]. Green sotol is commonly found on
south-facing boulder slopes and streambeds at elevations between 4,200
and 5,500 feet (1,280-1,676 m). This shrub is generally not abundant
where permanent surface water is present [7].

Green sotol is often associated with lechuguilla (Agave
lecheguilla), walnut (Juglans spp.), prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), yucca
(Yucca spp.), nolina (Nolina spp.), Pinchot juniper (Juniperus
pinchotii), wavyleaf oak (Quercus undulata), skeleton goldeye (Viguiera
stenoloba), curlyleaf muhly (Muhlenbergia setifolia), grama (Bouteloua
spp.), threeawn (Aristida spp.) and slim tridens (Tridens muticus)
[7,9,17].
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Cover Types

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

72 Southern scrub oak
239 Pinyon - juniper
241 Western live oak
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Ecosystem

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

More info for the term: shrub

FRES30 Desert shrub
FRES32 Texas savanna
FRES33 Southwestern shrubsteppe
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES40 Desert grasslands
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Plant Associations

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: cactus, shrub, woodland

K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K024 Juniper steppe woodland
K031 Oak - juniper woodlands
K032 Transition between K031 and K037
K033 Chaparral
K037 Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
K040 Saltbush - greasewood
K041 Creosotebush
K042 Creosotebush - bursage
K043 Paloverde - cactus shrub
K044 Creosotebush - tarbush
K045 Ceniza shrub
K046 Desert: vegetation largely lacking
K053 Grama - galleta steppe
K054 Grama - tobosa prairie
K057 Galleta - three-awn shrubsteppe
K058 Grama - tobosa shrubsteppe
K059 Trans-Pecos shrub savanna
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Key Plant Community Associations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Green sotol is dominant in the Chihuahuan Desert region on
gravelly to bouldered low south-facing slopes of the Guadalupe
Escarpment, New Mexico and Texas [7]. It is listed as a dominant
species of sotol-agave (Dasylirion-Agave) and walnut/sotol
(Juglans/sotol) vegetation types in: Vegetation of the Guadalupe
Escarpment, New Mexico-Texas [7].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Life Form

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: shrub

Shrub
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bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Occurrence in North America

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
NM TX MEXICO
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Other uses and values

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The leaves of green sotol are used to make mats, baskets, and
paper [15].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Phenology

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More info on this topic.

No specific information on seasonal development of green sotol was
found. However, a similar species, Wheeler sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri),
flowers in spring or early summer [2]. In the Chihuahuan Desert, New
Mexico, Wheeler sotol flower buds are initiated in mid- to late May,
flowering occurs in June and July, and fruits are mature by August [16].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Post-fire Regeneration

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: fire regime, root crown, shrub

Small shrub, adventitious-bud root crown


FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in
which this species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under "Find FIRE REGIMES".
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regeneration Processes

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: capsule, dioecious, seed

Sexual reproduction - Green sotol plants are dioecious. They
produce thousands of tiny flowers in a long narrow cluster [11]. The
seed is contained in a one-celled three-winged capsule [15].

Vegetative reproduction - Green sotol reproduces vegetatively
by sprouting from the terminal bud, which is located at the base of the
leaf [1,9].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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More info on this topic.

This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

7 Lower Basin and Range
13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Taxonomy

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The scientific name of green sotol is Dasylirion leiophyllum
Engelm. [2,15]. There are no recognized infrataxa.
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Dasylirion leiophyllum

provided by wikipedia EN

Dasylirion leiophyllum is a species of flowering plant in the asparagus family known by the common names green sotol, smooth-leaf sotol, and smooth sotol. It is native to North America, where it occurs in Chihuahua and Coahuila[2] in Mexico and New Mexico and western Texas in the United States.[3] It was first collected by Valery Havard in 1880 and was described by William Trelease in 1911.[4]

This plant is a succulent shrub[3] with a trunk up to a meter long growing erect or reclining. The shiny, bright green, fibrous leaves are narrow, long, and pointed, growing up to 80 centimeters long by 2.5 wide. The margins have prickles. Mature specimens may wear a sheath of dead leaves from previous seasons around the trunk. The inflorescence is about 30 centimeters long[3] and is borne atop a stalk which can reach five meters in height.[2] The species is dioecious, with male and female reproductive structures on separate individuals. The many tiny flowers have whitish or greenish tepals about 2 millimeters in length. The fruit is a three-winged capsule under a centimeter in length. The plants reproduce by seed and vegetatively by sprouting from buds located at the leaf bases.[3]

This plant is native to the Chihuahuan Desert where it is dominant in a number of plant communities, often occurring with lechuguilla and walnut. It grows in woodlands and desert grasslands, often on calcareous substrates, and generally only in dry areas. Other plant species in the habitat may include prickly pear, yucca, nolina, Pinchot juniper, wavyleaf oak, skeleton goldeye, curlyleaf muhly, grama grasses, threeawns, and slim tridens.[3]

Mature individuals of this species can ignite and burn for hours if hit by lightning. Fire can then spread through the habitat if the burning top of the plant falls off and rolls down a hill. After the plant burns it can sometimes resprout from the buds at the leaf bases.[3]

In Mexico, species within the Dasylirion genus are used to make a liquor known as "sotol".

Trunks contain a lot of starch and this material is roasted fermented and distilled to produce this liquor. Similar to "tequila", this liquor product is historically only referred to or labeled as "sotol", if it originates within certain regions of Mexico --- a traditional officially recognized by The Mexican government when they granted the spirit a denomination of origin (DO) which the US begin honoring the Mexica-DO under the North America Free Trade Agreement. This has become a controversial subject in recent years after two companies in Texas began producing liquor from Dasylirion species harvested on private ranches in Texas after lobbyist were able to remove protections for Mexican sotol producers from international trade agreements during last minute renegotiations with the support of a Senator from Texas.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dasylirion leiophyllum.

References

  1. ^ The Plant List
  2. ^ a b Dasylirion leiophyllum. Flora of North America.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Dasylirion leiophyllum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.
  4. ^ Morey, Roy (2008). Little Big Bend : Common, Uncommon, and Rare Plants of Big Bend National Park. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press. p. 38. ISBN 9780896726130. OCLC 80359503.

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Dasylirion leiophyllum: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Dasylirion leiophyllum is a species of flowering plant in the asparagus family known by the common names green sotol, smooth-leaf sotol, and smooth sotol. It is native to North America, where it occurs in Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico and New Mexico and western Texas in the United States. It was first collected by Valery Havard in 1880 and was described by William Trelease in 1911.

This plant is a succulent shrub with a trunk up to a meter long growing erect or reclining. The shiny, bright green, fibrous leaves are narrow, long, and pointed, growing up to 80 centimeters long by 2.5 wide. The margins have prickles. Mature specimens may wear a sheath of dead leaves from previous seasons around the trunk. The inflorescence is about 30 centimeters long and is borne atop a stalk which can reach five meters in height. The species is dioecious, with male and female reproductive structures on separate individuals. The many tiny flowers have whitish or greenish tepals about 2 millimeters in length. The fruit is a three-winged capsule under a centimeter in length. The plants reproduce by seed and vegetatively by sprouting from buds located at the leaf bases.

This plant is native to the Chihuahuan Desert where it is dominant in a number of plant communities, often occurring with lechuguilla and walnut. It grows in woodlands and desert grasslands, often on calcareous substrates, and generally only in dry areas. Other plant species in the habitat may include prickly pear, yucca, nolina, Pinchot juniper, wavyleaf oak, skeleton goldeye, curlyleaf muhly, grama grasses, threeawns, and slim tridens.

Mature individuals of this species can ignite and burn for hours if hit by lightning. Fire can then spread through the habitat if the burning top of the plant falls off and rolls down a hill. After the plant burns it can sometimes resprout from the buds at the leaf bases.

In Mexico, species within the Dasylirion genus are used to make a liquor known as "sotol".

Trunks contain a lot of starch and this material is roasted fermented and distilled to produce this liquor. Similar to "tequila", this liquor product is historically only referred to or labeled as "sotol", if it originates within certain regions of Mexico --- a traditional officially recognized by The Mexican government when they granted the spirit a denomination of origin (DO) which the US begin honoring the Mexica-DO under the North America Free Trade Agreement. This has become a controversial subject in recent years after two companies in Texas began producing liquor from Dasylirion species harvested on private ranches in Texas after lobbyist were able to remove protections for Mexican sotol producers from international trade agreements during last minute renegotiations with the support of a Senator from Texas.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dasylirion leiophyllum.
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