About Nolina cismontana Dice
Nolina cismontana Dice generally grows to 30 centimetres (0.98 ft) tall, but it can grow much taller, reaching well over 1 metre (3.3 ft). At ground level, it produces a rosette of 30 to 90 long, narrow leaves. These leaves measure up to 140 centimetres (4.6 ft) long by 3 centimetres (0.098 ft) wide, and are wider at their bases. Leaf texture can be stiff, whiplike, or limp, and some leaves have a waxy coating. The edges of the leaves are serrated. The plant's inflorescence is a compound panicle that holds whitish flowers interspersed with pointed bracts. Nolina cismontana is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate individual plants. This species occurs in coastal mountain ranges, where it grows in dry chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats on rocky sandstone and gabbro substrates. In contrast, the related species Nolina parryi is more often found in woodlands growing on granite soils. Nolina cismontana is in population decline across most of its range. Threats to the species include habitat destruction and fragmentation from development, road construction, and agriculture, changes to the natural fire regime, recreational activity, and the presence of non-native species. Nolina cismontana is a fire-follower species: it reproduces and blooms prolifically after wildfire.
