Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) is a shrubby species that grows in the Chihuahuan Desert. Sotol plants are commonly used to produce an alcoholic beverage, also known as “sotol”. A study was carried out to assess the composition and structure of shrubby communities where sotol inhabits in northern Mexico. The importance value index (IVI), diversity indexes, and structural attributes of the sotol community were estimated. Furthermore, a principal component and a cluster analysis were conducted in order to identify possible associations of species along the sotol distribution area. A total of 10,273 plants belonging to 17 families and 46 species were recorded, where the Agave lechuguilla and Tiquilia greggi were the most abundant species. Higher abundances of sotol and higher diversity indexes were observed in hillside areas and eastern aspects. The multivariate analyses revealed five shrubby groups in the distribution area of sotol, which grows in valleys, hillsides, and also on the top of mountains. The main communities found where sotol grows are rosetophyllous, microphyllous, and mesquite communities, and also, in higher altitudes, sotol is associated with oak species. This information is not only useful for a better species knowledge, but also for the protection of shrubby communities where Dasylirion leiophyllum inhabits.

Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) grows in the Chihuahan Desert in the north of Mexico and south of the United States. The stem of this species is used to produce a liquor widely known as sotol. A field sampling and a laboratory analysis were carried out to determine the influence of the rainy season, altitude, topography, and aspect over the soluble solid content (°Brix) and bromatological variables of mature plants of sotol in Chihuahua, Mexico. Analyses of variance and Tukey tests were performed. The rainy season and altitude showed significant statistical influence (p ≤ 0.05) on the total soluble solids content; meanwhile, only altitude showed a significant effect on the bromatological variables (p ≤ 0.05). According to the results of the Tukey tests (p < 0.05), sotol plants have the highest concentrations of soluble solid contents before the rainy season (25 °Brix) and at sites with altitudes lower than 1300 m (25.95 °Brix). In addition, the means of raw protein and carbohydrates content were the highest in plants living at altitudes lower than 1500 m, at 1.93% and 31.74%, respectively. Meanwhile, topography, aspect, and the interactions of the evaluated factors did not show significant influence (p ≤ 0.05) over the total soluble solid content, nor over the bromatological variables studied.