Beaucarnea

Beaucarnea is a genus of flowering plants native to Mexico and Central America. In the APG III classification system, it is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Convallarioideae. Beaucarnea is sometimes treated as a synonym of the genus Nolina, with the species being then transferred to that genus. However, recent research shows that Beaucarnea should be treated as an independent genus.
The species are small tropical xerophytic trees growing to 6–10 m tall, with a trunk 20–40 cm diameter with a flared base; young plants are single-stemmed, branching only after flowering. The leaves are evergreen, linear, strap-shaped, 0.5-1.8 m long and 1.5–2 cm broad, leathery in texture, with a finely serrated margin. The flowers are produced only on old trees, forming on large panicles 75–110 cm long, the individual flowers numerous but very small, greenish-white, with six tepals.

''Calibanus''

The now defunct genus Calibanus was first formally described in 1906 by Joseph Nelson Rose, with Calibanus including two species. More recent research using molecular and morphological findings demonstrated that both former Calibanus species were closely related to Beaucarnea species, leading to both former Calibanus species being transferred to the genus Beaucarnea.
The affected species are:

Beaucarnea glassiana V.Rojas-Piña;'' formally Calibanus glassianus L.Hern. & Zamudio
Beaucarnea hookeri Trel.; formerly Calibanus hookeri Trel.

Species

Plants of [the World Online] accepts the following species:

Image	Scientific name	Distribution
	Beaucarnea compacta L.Hern. & Zamudio	Guanajuato
	Beaucarnea glassiana V.Rojas-Piña	Guanajuato
	Beaucarnea goldmanii Rose	Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador
	Beaucarnea gracilis Lem.	Puebla, Oaxaca
	Beaucarnea guatemalensis Rose	Guatemala, Nicaragua
	Beaucarnea hiriartiae L.Hern.	Guerrero
	Beaucarnea hookeri Baker	San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo
	Beaucarnea olsonii V. Rojas & L.O. Alvarado	Puebla, Oaxaca
	Beaucarnea pliabilis Rose	Campeche, Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Guatemala, Belize
	Beaucarnea purpusii Rose	Puebla, Oaxaca
	Beaucarnea recurvata Lem.	Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz
	Beaucarnea sanctomariana L.Hern.	Oaxaca
	Beaucarnea stricta Lem.	Oaxaca