THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Agave continued. 



A. Desert! (Desert's).' Jl. yellow, under 2in. long, on a thyrsoid 

 panicle, the branches very short, the lower horizontal, the upper 

 ascending ; pedicels short ; scape 4ft. to 10ft. high, lin. to 2in. 

 thick at the base, furnished with distant lanceolate acuminate 

 toothed bracts. 1. few, in a rosette, oblanceolate, 6in. to 12in. 

 long, liin. to 2in. broad above the middle, thick, fleshy, very 

 glaucous ; face deeply concave ; terminal spine lin. to 2in. long, 

 slender; prickles crowded, strong, hooked, horny, nearly Jin. long. 

 California, 1877. 



A. Desmotlana (De Smet's). Probably synonymous with A. 

 miradorentit. 



A. Elemoctiana (Elemeet's).* JL yellowish-green, lin. to liin. 

 long, in a dense spike 8ft. to 9ft. long, 7in. to Sin. in diameter 

 when expanded ; pedicels Jin. long ; scape, including the spike, 

 12ft. to 13ft. high, stiffly erect, lower 3ft. to 4ft., barren, with 

 squarrose lanceolate bracts. I. twenty to twenty -five in a rosette, 

 lanceolate-oblong, lift, to 2ft long, 3in. to 6m. wide, slightly 

 glaucous; face flat above the middle terminal spine, not pungent, 

 the margin pale and quite entire. Stemless. A very distinct 

 species. Mexico, 1864. (B. M. 7027). 



A. Fenzliana (Fenzl's). Synonymous with A. HookerL 



A. ferox (fierce). JL unknown. I. about twenty in a rosette, 

 oblong-spathulate, 4in. to Sin. broad ; face nearly flat; except at 

 the top, slightly glaucous green ; terminal spine above lin. long, 

 hard, pungent ; margin slightly wavy between the large dark 

 brown teeth, which are about Jin. long, and curved at the 

 top. Mexico, 1861. 



A. fllifera (thread-bearing).* Jl. greenish, about 2in. long; pedicels 

 very short and stout, in a dense spike 2ft. to 3ft. long ; scape 3ft. 

 to 4ft. long, its bract-leaves subulate, the lower ones ascending, 

 the upper squarrose. I. sixty to a hundred in a dense rosette, 

 stiff, straight, ensiform, 6in. to 9in. long, lin. broad at the middle, 

 gradually narrowing to a grey pungent tip ; face flat, the con- 

 tinuous grey edge splitting off copiously into irregular spreading 

 grey wiry threads ; outer leaves of the rosette not all recurved, 

 but spreading stiffly. Mexico. 



A. fc fllamentosa (thready).* A form with larger leaves and 

 scape ; including the spike, 10ft. to 12ft. high. A well-known, 

 handsome variety. 



A. Goleottl (Oaleotti's). JL unknown. I. thirty to forty in a 

 dense rosette, 2ft to 3ft broad, oblong-spathulate, 1ft. to lift long, 

 SSn. to 6in. broad ; face rather flat or convex, green; terminal 

 spine hard, pungent ; prickles close, straight, or slightly hooked, 

 purplish-blaJck. Mexico, 1877. 



A. GMesbregimi (Ghiesbreght's). Jl. unknown. I. thirty to 

 forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long, 2in. 

 to Sin. broad, bright glossy green ; terminal spine iin. long, 

 pungent ; border narrow, red-brown till a late stage ; side prickles 

 numerous, irregular, two to three lines long. Mexico, 1862. Very 

 handsome dwarf species. A. Rohanii and A. Leguayana are mere 

 varieties. 



A. hctoracantha (various-spined).* /. greenish, liin. long, on a 

 dense spike 3ft. long ; scape 3ft to 4ft long. I. fifty to eighty 

 in a rosette, rigid, ensifonn, lift to 2ft long, 2in. to 2iin. broad 

 in the middle, dull green, with numerous darker green lines on 

 the back; terminal point lin. long; side spines numerous, 

 strongly hooked, lanceolate. Stemless. Mexico. 



A. Hooker! (Hooker's).* JL large, yellow, very numerous, in 

 stalked pamcled cymes. I. thirty to forty in a sessile rosette, 8ft 

 or 9ft in diameter, oblanceolate-spathulate, bright green on the 

 face, rather glaucous on the back, 4ft to 5ft. long, Sin to 9in 

 broad, 2in to 3in. thick ; terminal spine 2in. long, and decurrent for 

 nearly half a foot ; face flattish or slightly concave ; side prickles 

 bregater, brown and horny, about Jin. long, and curved in 

 different directions. Mexico. SYN. A. Fenzliana. A rare and 

 noble species, very massive. 



A. horrlda (horrid).* fl. unknown. I. thirty to forty in a dense 

 rosette, tirid, lanceolate-spathulate, Sin. to I2in. long* lin to 2in 

 broad, bright green ; terminal .spine pungent, nearly lin. long; 



U US br ad W b rder> ^ 



11/11 fc. .v v>,p^ UV/I'H I 



four large spines on each side. Mexico, 1873. 



\^ -^T 10 ? (smoother). I. somewhat narrower, longer, with 



MexTcofl8?0. neS " gy devel P ed - "d f * paler colour. 



*&ES^#SS%^^ 



^n^KTn\ttSNo^ der f ^ ."' and 



A. Jacobiana (Jacob's). Synonymous with A. Salmiana. 



A. Kcrchovci (Kerchove's).* Jl. unknown. I. thirty to forty in 



i stemless rosette, stiff, rigid, typically ensiform, 6in. to 12in 



long ijm. to <im. broad, narrowing gradually to a pungent spine 



lin. long dull green, with a distinct pale central bamf rounded 



on the back, without any stripes of dark green, the marcin 



with a continuous moderately broad groy border; side prickles 



'^egUar^ grey, lanceolate, curved, iin. to Jin. long. SYN. A. 



Agave continued. 

 There are several varieties of A. Kerchovei, of which the following 



are the most important : 



A, K. dlplacantha (double-spined).* \Vith very few distant, 

 small teeth, often collected or united in pairs. 



A. K. inermis (unarmed). Dwarf, with spines entirely obsolete. 



A. K. macrodonta (long-toothed). /. lift long, without any 

 distinct central band, and with copious irregular grey lanceolate 

 prickles, about iin. long. 



A, K. pectinata (comb-like). 1. 1ft. long, 2Jin. broad, without 

 any central band. 



A. lophantha (crest-flowered).* Jl. greenish, arranged in a dense 

 spike 4ft to 5ft. long ; scape 7ft. to 8ft long, its leaves brown, the 

 lower ones 6in. long. I. thirty to forty in a rosette, rigid, ensi- 

 form, 2ft to 3ft long, liin. broad at the middle, rather concave 

 down the face, rounded on the back, not marked with any lines, 

 dull green ; terminal spine lin. long ; margins bordered by a very 

 narrow continuous grey hoary line, furnished witli distant linear 

 falcate teeth, about T \in. long, sessile. Mexico. 



A, L ccerulescens (bluish).* 1. with a decided glaucous bloom. 



A. L longlfolla (long-leaved). A mere variety of above species. 



A. macracantha (long-spined).* /. greenish, 2in. long, ten to 

 twelve in a loose raceme 6in. long, all solitary on ascending 

 pedicels Jin. to iin. long ; scape 2ft. to 3ft. long ; bracts erect. 

 I. thirty to fifty in a stiff rosette 1ft. to 2ft. broad, oblanceolate, 

 6in. to 12in. long, lin. to liin. broad, very stiff and rigid, very 

 glaucous; face rather thicker in the lower half; terminal spine 

 nearly black, very pungent, iin. long; side prickles purplish-black, 

 sub-distant, iin. long, with a large point straight or slightly hooked. 

 With a short stem, or stemless. Mexico, 1830. It has many 

 varieties, among which are A. Sessereriana and A. Jlavescens. 



A. Maxlmlliana (Maximilian's).* JL unknown. I. about twenty 

 in a sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, lift, to 2ft. long, IJin. 

 to Sin. broad ; face slightly glaucous green ; terminal spine pungent, 

 brown, lin. broad ; side prickles bright chestnut brown, larger and 

 more irregular than in A. americana, more hooked, and furnished 

 with longer and sharper points, reaching Jin. long. Mexico. A 

 very distinct species. 



A. micracantha (small-spined). fl. yellowish, liin. long, in a 

 dense spike 3ft. to 4ft. long, 6in. to Yin. broad when expanded. I. 

 twenty to thirty in a shortly stalked rosette, oblanceolate oblong, 

 15in. to 18in. long, 3in. to Sin. broad above the middle, narrowed 

 to 2in. to Sin. above the base, bright green ; face flattish above the 

 centre ; terminal spine red brown, moderately firm ; the copious 

 close reddish-brown horny teeth about T Vin. long, the upper ones 

 ascending, the lower deflexed. Mexico, 1860. 



A. miradorensis (Mirador).* Jl. unknown. I. about thirty in a 

 sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, lift, to 2ft. long, 2in. to 

 2iin. broad above the middle, thin but firm in texture, very 

 glaucous, with a firm red-brown terminal spine lin. long ; side 

 prickles very minute, crowded, colourless, five or six to an inch 

 in the centre of the leaf. Mexico, 1869. SYN. (probably) A. 

 Desmetiana. 



A. Noackii (Noack's). A synonym of A. Sartorii. 



A. ornata (adorned). A synonym of A. americana picta. 



A. Ortgiesiana (Ortgies'). A dwarf form of A. schidigcra with a 

 pale central band to the leaf. Mexico, 1861. A widely-distributed 

 and desirable .species. 



A. pendnla (pendulous). Synonymous with A. Sartorii. 



A. polyacantha (many-spincd).* /. greenish-yellow, liin. to 

 2in. long ; flowering-stem 8ft. to 12ft high, including the dense 

 spike, which is 3ft. to 4ft. long. I. about thirty in a sessile 

 rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, rigid, 1ft to 2ft. long, 2iin. to 

 Sin. broad above the middle, bright green, slightly glaucous 

 when young ; terminal spine dark brown, pungent, iin. to fin. 

 long ; side prickles crowded, deltoid, dark chestnut brown, ir- 

 regular, T Vin. or iin. long, all sub-patent. Mexico, 1800. SYNS. 

 A. uncinata, A. xalapensis. 



A. Poselgerii (Poselger's). fl. purplish, rather more than lin. 

 long ; scape, including the spike, 6ft. to 10ft. I. twenty to thirty 

 in a dense rosette, rigid, ensiform, 1ft. to lift, long, liin. to 2in. 

 broad at the middle, dull green, with a broad pale band down to 

 the face, rounded and marked with numerous distinct green lines 

 down the back ; margin furnished with a continuous straight, 

 moderately broad edge ; tormina! spine lin. long, brown, pungent; 

 side prickles moderately close, lanceolate, hooked, in. loue. 

 Trunk, 4in. to 6in. long. Texas. 



A. potatorum (drinkers'), fl. greenish yellow, Sin. long ; scape 

 12ft. high, including the thyrsoid panicle, which is 4ft. to 5ft. 

 long. I. about twenty in a dense sessile rosette, 4ft. to 5ft. broad, 

 oblong-spathulate, 2ft to 2ift. long, 7in. to Sin. broad above the 

 middle, a dull glaucous green ; face slightly concave ; terminal 

 spines hard, pungent, liin. to 2in. long ; side prickles deltoid- 

 cuspidate, about Jin. long, with the edge slightly wavy between 

 them. Mexico, 1830. 



A. prainosa (frosty).* /. unknown. I. ten to twenty in a dense 

 rosette, spreading, oblanceolate-oblong, lift, to 2ft. long, 4in. to 

 Sin. broad above the middle, soft and fleshy in texture, pale 

 glaucous green ; terminal spine very weak ; edge furnished with 

 minute irregular spreading deltoid serrations, not more than 

 quarter line long. Mexico, 1863. A very distinct species. 



A. Koezllana (Roezl's). fl. unknown. I. twenty to thirty in a se- 



