CoP17 Prop. 50

Inclusion of all species of Ponytail Palms in the genus Beaucarnea in Appendix II
Proponent: Mexico
Summary: Beaucarnea species, known as Ponytail Palms (although not strictly palms), occur in Mexico andnorthern parts of Central America (possibly as far south as northern Nicaragua). According to the Kew Plant
Checklist there are nine accepted species: Beaucarnea compacta, B. goldmanii, B. gracilis,
B. guatemalensis, B. hiriartiae, B. pliabilis, B. recurvata, B. sanctomariana and B. stricta. Two other specieslisted as synonyms (B. inermis, B. purpusii) are sometimes recognised as separate species1 Beaucarnea
species feature in the horticultural plant trade, with B. recurvata the main species in trade. It is still frequently
traded under the synonym Nolina recurvata.
Beaucarnea recurvata can reach almost 15m in height and is endemic to the low deciduous forests in rocky
and mountainous areas of Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico. Regeneration is reportedly limited. Individuals do
not flower every year, and establishment rates are apparently low, owing to a lack of water, herbivory
grazing, extraction and other causes. Adult plants may live for hundreds of years, and are reported to startflowering when they reach three metres tall after around 30 years (artificially propagated plants reportedly
flower sooner)1. There is no accurate estimate of the number or size of wild populations. Maximum recorded
density is of 135 individuals per ha (calculated from an area of 1.2ha in Veracruz). A study currently
underway in central Veracruz has found few populations with more than 30 adult individuals, although it isbelieved that such populations exist in inaccessible areas, and that isolated individuals are still relatively
abundant in the range1. Observed population structure apparently varies according to site accessibility, withrelatively few seedlings and juveniles observed along flat roads near areas of human population.
There are nurseries in Mexico (registered under the Unidades de Manejo para la Conservación de la Vida
Silvestre (UMA) or Predios Intensivos de Manejo y Vida Silvestre (PIMVS) systems) that legally propagate
Beaucarnea species; it is reported that volume of production and sizes of available specimens do not satisfy
the demand and that seeds, seedlings, juveniles and adults are consequently harvested from the wild tosupplement artificial propagation. The main B. recurvata mass producers are reported to depend entirely on
seeds from the wild. Flowering specimens produce an average of approximately seven inflorescences, witheach inflorescence typically producing more than 2000 seeds. Only one nursery is known to have a closed
cycle of production, and it is very small compared to mass producers in the main region of production ofB. recurvata in Mexico1. While examples of sustainable management with scientifically-based harvest limits
for seed are in place, such production is reportedly undercut by cultivation of specimens illegally harvested
from the wild2. Mexican seizure data indicate that over 2000 specimens were confiscated from nurseries in
the period 2004 to 2014.
Beaucarnea recurvata is also widely propagated outside Mexico and very common in ornamental plant
markets in Europe and elsewhere. Denmark has reported an annual average export of 200,000 specimens.
Information collected from various countries in the European Union noted that China is a major source ofpropagated specimens. The origin of parent material of live plants offered outside Mexico is unknown,
although the species has been widely in cultivation since the first half of the nineteenth century 3.
There is virtually no information on export from Mexico. Trade data from the USA do not report any imports
from Mexico in the period 2004 to 20134. It has been stated that wild-collected plants are exported after
acclimatisation in nurseries in Mexico although there does not appear to be clear evidence for this.
Other Beaucarnea species that are known to be in cultivation are B. inermis, B. goldmanii, B. pliabilis,B. hiriartiae and B. guatemalensis. Limited trade in seeds of B. gracilis, B. stricta and B. sanctomariana has
also been recorded.
Juvenile and adult Beaucarnea specimens resemble each other to varying degrees. They can bedistinguished to species level with some training, with information on identification published in a number ofmanuals5, 6, 7. However, seeds and seedlings cannot be easily identified to species level by non-specialists.
There are a number of synonyms used for species in this genus, including species falling under four othergenera (Dasylirion, Dracaena, Nolina and Pincenectitia). B. inermis is considered a synonym of B. recurvata8(however it is included as an accepted species in this proposal) and B. recurvata var. stricta is considered asynonym for B. stricta.

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CoP17 Prop. 50
The species has not been assessed by IUCN, but the Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010(the Mexican National Red List) classifies B. recurvata as threatened (A) although more recent consideration
by experts, indicated that it could instead be classified at risk of extinction.
Analysis: Beaucarnea recurvata is an extremely widely grown ornamental plant, cultivated both within its
range State (Mexico) and elsewhere. Wild populations are scattered over a relatively wide area; there is no
information on total numbers or trends. There are reports of wild-collection of seeds as source material for
nursery propagation in Mexico, and of collection of plants of varying sizes for the horticultural plant trade. It
has been stated that some of the trade in wild-collected plants is destined for export although there appears
to be no clear evidence for this. There are indications of fewer young plants in accessible populations than inless accessible ones, but no other information on the possible impact of harvest on wild populations. The
species has been in cultivation outside the range State for many years; it is likely that established cultivatedstock can provide both large plants for sale and source material (seeds) for propagation in adequate
quantities to meet market demands. The species seems likely not to meet the criteria for inclusion in Annex 2
a of Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16).
Evidence for trade in wild-collected plants of other Beaucarnea species is extremely limited and there is noindication that any of them meets the criteria in Annex 2 a of Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16).
Species of Beaucarnea resemble each other to varying degrees. If any species were to be included inAppendix II, the others would meet the criteria in Annex 2 b of the Resolution (lookalike criteria).
Reviewers: L. Hernandez Sandoval, M. Chazaro and A. Contreras Hernandez.
References:
Information not referenced in the Summary section is from the Supporting Statement.
1 Contreras Hernandez, A. (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK.
2 Osorio, M.I. & Contreras-Hernandez, A. (2013) Environmental policy for sustainable development and biodiversity

conservation: a case study involving the exploitation of Beaucarnea recurvata. In: Yanez-Aranciba, A. & Davalos-Sotelo,R. (eds) Ecological Dimensions for sustainable socio-economic development. Great Britain: WIT Press, pp. 209-222.
3 Llifle (2005) Nolina recurvata.
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Dracaenaceae/20519/Nolina_recurvata . Viewed on 4th July
2016.
4 Analysis of US Fish & Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) data, May 2016.
5 Martinez, M., Hernandez Sandoval, L. & Carrillo, L. (2014) Foliar anatomy of Beaucarnea Lemaire Nolinaceae SS.
Plant Systematics and Evolution 300: 2249-2258.
6 Osorio, M.I., Contreras, A., Equihua, M. & Benitez, G. (2011) Conservation and Utilization of Palma Nun, Beaucarnea
recurvata (Lemaire), non-timber forest species. CONAFOR and Institute of Ecology AC.
7 Hernández, L., Osorio, M.I., Orellana, R., Martinez, M., Pérez, M., Contreras, A., Malda, G., Swords, C., Almanza, K.,
Castillo, H., and Felix. (2012) Management and conservation of species with commercial value elephant foot(Beaucarnea). Editorial Universitaria University of Queretaro, SAGARPA, SNICS, SINAREFI.
8 The Plant List (2013) Version 1.1. http://www.theplantlist.org/. http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-300342, andhttp://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-300352.Viewed on 4th July 2016.

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