ENGELMANN NOTES ON AGAVE. 319 



cartilaginous margin decurrent from the terminal spine. The 

 presence of a trunk, the proportions of the leaf (in A. rigida and 

 all its varieties the length equals 12-14 times the width), proba- 

 bly the form of the terminal spine, the character of the inflores- 

 cence, and, above all, the form and proportions of the flower and 

 its parts, remain constant, and perhaps also the proliferous char- 

 acter of the inflorescence of some species. 



15. Agave Palmeri, «. 5^. : acaulis ; foliis lanceolatis sursum 

 attenuatis in spinam gracilem teretem ultra medium canalicula- 

 tam excurrentibus, margine aculeis insequalibus sagpius recurvis 

 flexuosisve atro fuscis dentato ; florum albidorum pedicellis brac- 

 teis abbreviatis carnosis fultis ; ovario perigonio aequali sen paulo 

 longiore, tubo lobis vix longiore stamina longe-exserta medio vel 

 paulo supra gerente ; capsula gracili prismatica brevi-cuspidata 

 in stipitem contracta, seminibus minoribus minute verruculosis. 



In the mountains of Southern Arizona Dr. Schott collected the 

 flowers in 1855 ; in 1869, Dr. E. Palmer, who during ten years 

 has made Arizona and the adjacent regions the field of his explo- 

 rations, and for whose services to botany in that district this 

 species is named, gathered more complete specimens and seeds ; 

 and last year, 1874, Dr. Rothrock, of Lieut. Wheeler's expedi- 

 tion, brought very fine specimens found there at an altitude of 

 6.300 feet. — Fl. July and August. 



This species seems to take in the southern part of Arizona the 

 place of A. Parryi of the northern part of that territory, and is 

 used there for the same purpose ; it is easily distinguished from 

 it by its longer and narrower leaves, the much less deeply divided 

 perigon, and the slender capsule and small seeds. — Leaves 10-20 

 inches long, 2-2-0- wide, slightly contracted above the base, long 

 pointed ; terminal spine 8-14 lines long, deeply channelled to 

 above the middle, decurrent with brown, horny margins about 2 

 inches; lateral teeth \-\ inch apart, \\~z lines long, often inter- 

 spersed with smaller ones, straight, or usually hooked, or often, 

 especially the lower ones, flexuous. Scape 8-12 feet high (bracts 

 not noticed by the collectors) ; branches of the panicle repeatedl y 

 and loosely ramified, ultimate pedicels crowded, about 1 line long. 

 Flowers if-2 inches long; perigon 10-12 lines long, whitish ; 

 filaments, anthers, and style, purple ; lobes usually a little shorter 

 than the tube, exterior ones strongly cucullate and much thick- 



