AGAVES OF THE UNITED STATES. 89 
extends even to the flowers. Dr. Wilcox states that after 
making many and careful inquiries he is convinced that 
A. Palmeri is the only species used in Arizona for food or 
for making the liquor ‘* Mescal.”’ 
= = = Leaves very rough. 
A. AsPERRIMA Jacobi. — Acaulescent; leaves few, with 
few fibers, broadly spreading, very concave on upper side, 
rounded on lower, very rough on both sides, dull green, 
glaucous, 45 to 120 cm. long, thick at base, broadest for 
some distance in the middle, and tapering very narrowly to 
the compressed apex; end-spine brown, 30 to 55 mm. long, 
slender, terete, very pungent, decurrent as a narrow bor- 
der for a considerable distance; margin somewhat repand ; 
prickles commencing 10 to 15 cm. below apex, large, del- 
toid-cuspidate, 7 to 10 mm. long, spreading or reflexed, 
rather remote; flowers 75 mm. long; ovary 30 mm.; seg- 
ments 20 mm.; filaments attached a little above the middle 
of tube, 70 mm. long; anthers very large, 25 to 30 mm. 
long: — Hamb. Gartenz. xx. (1864) 561, Monogr. 61; 
Baker, Amaryllideae, 173.— Plate 53. 
This plant is reported as occurring spontaneously in 
Texas at a point about twenty miles northeast of San 
Antonio, and at Eagle Pass. From the former place Mr. 
Gurney received a plant a number of years ago, and Dr. 
Ten Eyck has sent a specimen leaf from the latter. Dr. 
Ten Eyck was kind enough to search for fruiting capsules 
but without success. A specimen in the Garden Herbarium 
sent by Mr. C. G. Pringle from ‘‘ mesas near Jimulco, 
State of Coahuila, Mexico, April 9, 1886,’’ has prickles 
more numerous than those upon the Texas specimens. The 
plant should be looked for in Texas at other points between 
San Antonio and the Rio Grande. 
++ Leaf without horny margin; edge repand; teeth prominent .— AMER- 
ICANAE (Baker). (Look for A. Palmeri under Submarginatae.) 
A. Americana L.— Leaves oblanceolate to spatulate, 10 
to 20 dm. long, 15 to 22 cm. wide, glaucous; end spine 35 
