Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

According to Moerman (1998), the Pima of Arizona prepared a leaf infusion to relieve coughs, the Mojave of the Lower Colorado River basin macerated the roots to create a lathering wash, and the Zuni of New Mexico applied crushed leaves as a poultice for wounds. Each of these traditional preparations involves a distinct plant part: leaves for the infusion and poultice, roots for the maceration. The three cultures represent distinct geographic regions of the U.S. Southwest, and the uses are documented in the same comprehensive ethnobotanical source.

To make a mild Nolina microcarpa leaf tea, measure 1 teaspoon (≈1 g) of dried leaves per cup (240 ml) of nearly boiling water. Cover the vessel and steep for 5–10 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh. The infusion yields a pale‑green, slightly bitter brew. Do not exceed two cups per day; pregnant or nursing women should avoid the tea, as the plant’s saponins may cause gastrointestinal upset in sensitive individuals.

Phytochemical analyses of the species consistently report steroidal saponins, flavonoid glycosides such as quercetin‑3‑O‑glucoside, and phenolic acids including caffeic acid. These compounds are known to have mild anti‑inflammatory and detergent‑like properties, which plausibly underlie the traditional tea’s soothing effect on coughs and the root maceration’s cleansing action.

Current pharmacological studies are investigating the anti‑inflammatory potential of its saponins, yet no commercial products have been developed. The plant is still collected for folk teas and for washing, and it remains a part of the cultural pharmacopeia in several southwestern Native communities.

General Uses Top

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Common products:
Leaves from Nolina microcarpa are used for brooms and coarse brushes, a practice documented for several Nolina species in southwestern North America. The strap-shaped leaf blades yield flexible fiber suitable for bundled-broom construction.

Industrial and craft applications:
Beyond brooming, the leaves are employed for simple cordage, twine, and basketry. Bundles of leaf fibers may also be tied as thatching or used in saddle pads and similar coarse craft items. The leaves’ length, flexibility, and resistance to splitting make them suitable for such applications.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No commercial culinary uses are reported.

Colorants and tanning:
No documented use.

Wood and fiber:
Fiber from leaf blades; limited structural timber or pole use; limited to small diameters from mature crowns for craft stems.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No reported applications.

Properties relevant to use:
Leaves are long, narrow, and fibrous with good tensile strength; fiber tenacity derives from thickened, lignified cell walls in bundle sheaths; durability for dry goods and limited outdoor exposure; broom construction relies on bundled leaves bound at the base with cordage.

Standards and regulation:
No industry-specific standards identified for fiber or brooms from this taxon.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Wild-harvested material from range and roadside populations; over-harvest can affect rosette plants that grow slowly; sustainable practices include selective cutting of outer leaves and permitting plants to regenerate; ecological considerations include habitat retention and avoidance of protected sites.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Nolina caudata	Trel.	Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50: 417 (1911)
Beaucarnea microcarpa	(S.Watson) Baker	J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 18: 236 (1880)

Common names Top

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Filter by language:

Language	Common/alternative name
English	sacahuista
English	beargrass
English	palmilla
Spanish	sacahuista
Arabic	نولينة صغيرة الثمار
Persian	خرسواش ریزمیوه

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:

- Doubtful data

- Extinct

- Introduced

- Native

Northern America click to expand
- Mexico
  - Mexico Northeast
  - Mexico Northwest
- South-central U.S.A.
  - New Mexico
- Southwestern U.S.A.
  - Arizona

Links to other databases Top

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Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000700768
USDA Plants	NOMI
Tropicos	18401249
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:538748-1
The Plant List	kew-282353
Open Tree Of Life	273514
NCBI Taxonomy	191664
Nature Serve	2.134304
IPNI	538748-1
iNaturalist	165725
GBIF	2777014
Freebase	/m/0hnbcg9
FEIS	plants/shrub/nolmic
EPPO	NOLMI
EOL	554456
USDA GRIN	25361
Wikipedia	Nolina_microcarpa

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.

Title

Authors

Publication

Released

IDs

Dramatic response to climate change in the Southwest: Robert Whittaker's 1963 Arizona Mountain plant transect revisited

Brusca RC, Wiens JF, Meyer WM, Eble J, Franklin K, Overpeck JT, Moore W

Ecol Evol

13-Aug-2013

PMCID:	PMC3797479
doi:	10.1002/ece3.720
PMID:	24223270

Introduction to the Arizona Sky Island Arthropod Project (ASAP): Systematics, Biogeography, Ecology, and Population Genetics of Arthropods of the Madrean Sky Islands

Moore W, Meyer WM III, Eble JA, Franklin K, Wiens JF, Brusca RC

Proc RMRS

01-Jan-2013

PMCID:	PMC4260471
PMID:	25505938

Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the Planistromellaceae including its coelomycetous anamorphs: contributions towards a monograph of the genus Kellermania

Minnis AM, Kennedy AH, Grenier DB, Palm ME, Rossman AY

Persoonia

25-Oct-2012

PMCID:	PMC3589788
doi:	10.3767/003158512X658766
PMID:	23606762

Steroids of the spirostan and furostan series from Nolina microcarpa I. Structures of nolinospiroside C and nolinofurosides A and C

G. V. Shevchuk, Yu. S. Vollerner, A. S. Shashkov, V. Ya. Chirva