AGAVE 



AGAVE 



35 



PD. iyi'.s. broad attd < 



19. attenuMa, Salm-Dyck (A. glaticiscens. Hook.). 

 Figs. 47-49. 8t. 4-5 ft., crowned by a great mass of Ivs., 

 sometimes G ft. in diara. : Ivs. about 20, 2-3 ft. long, G-8 

 in. broad at the widest point, very glaucous on both 

 sides: H.-splke5 ft. long; fl. 2 in. long, greenish yellow. 

 G.F. 10:95. G.C.II, 2:218, 223. G.C. III. 17:455, 4,57. 

 B.M. 53.'i3. Gn. 51, p. 407. — This is one of the most ma- 

 jestic of the Agaves. It has flowered only twice in the 

 United States, — in the Washington Botanical Garden, in 

 1897 and 1898. 



20. Elemeeti^na, Koch. Very near the above, but 

 stemless: Ivs. about 25, l}i-2 ft. long, 4'2-fJ in. wide ; 

 pale. B.M. 7027. G.C. 11. 8:749. -A var. subdentita is 

 sometimes sold. 



cc. Margins of Irs. more or less toothed. 

 D. Border of Irs. horny throughout. 



21. univittjlta, Haw. Stemless: Ivs. about ,50, rigid, 



2-2H ft. long, dark green 

 except a pale band down 

 the center: fis. vellowish. 

 Mex. B. M. (ili55. - Int. 

 about 1830. 



22. heterac4ntha, Zucc. 

 \'ery c-onnM(in. Forms seen 

 in I'olloctions show a very 

 liolymorphous species. 

 Stemless : Ivs. about 20, 

 with a pale band down the 

 center; teeth widely sepa- 

 r<ated, never banded, 12 in. 

 long, 2 in. broad. Mex.— 

 Numerous varieties. Int. 

 1862. 



23. LechegTilUa, Torr. 

 Rather common in collec- 

 tions, but usually passing 

 as A.heteracantha. Seem- 

 ingly a good species, 

 though referred by Baker 

 to .4. heteracantha. Lvs. 

 not banded, and spine very 

 long. W. Tex. and N. Mex. 



24. Victdriae - Reginse, 

 Moore. Stfiulcss : lvs. 



sometimes 200, very compact, rigid, 6-8 in. long. 1'.. in. 

 broad, the margin and bands on the back white, obtuse 

 at apex, tipped with a small spine. Mex. Gu. 8, p. 351. 

 G.C. II. 4:485; 11.18:841. I.H.28:413.-A very remarkable 

 species. Int. in 1872, hutnow seen in all collections. Prob- 

 ably more cult, than any other kind except 4. Americana. 



25. Nissoni, B.ikor. A small species usually growing 

 in clumps; es])ecially desirable for large vases. Lvs. 5-6 

 in. long, with a pale band down the center. Mex. — Not 

 known to have flowered. 



26. hdrrida, Lem. Stemless : lvs. about 40, compact, 

 rigid, with a very stout end spine, not striped: fls. nearly 

 2 in. long, yellowish. Mex. B.M. 6511. — Many forms. 



Var. Gilbeyi, Baker. Lvs. with a pale stripe down the 

 center. G.C. I. 33:1305. Gt. 1874, p. 84. 



27. xylonacAntha, Salm-Dyck. Stout-stemmed : lvs. 20 

 or less, sword-like, 3 ft. or less long, with a sharp brown 

 point, slightly glaucous green, with a few darker green 

 lines on the back, the margin with a few large teeth : fls. 

 IKin. or less long, greenish yellow. Mex. B.M. 5060. 

 G.C. 11. 7: 523. -J. Amurinsis and A. Kdchii, Jacobi, 

 are forms of this species. 



28. Kerchdvei, Lem. (A. Seaucdrnei, Item. A.rigld- 

 issimaf Jacobi). Stemless: lvs. 20-30, sword-like, a foot 

 or less long, rigid, dull green with a pale central band 

 above, not dark-lined below, with lanceolate curved 

 teeth: fls. l>^in. long. Mex. G. C. II. 7: 523.- Many 

 forms, as diplac&ntha, macroddnta, pectin&.ta. 



I)L>. Border Of Irs. not liornij. 

 E. Lvs. oblong, with small teeth. 



29. Bfitteri, Baker. Stemless: lvs. 50, 2 ft. long, broad, 

 pale green; triangular teeth on margin, crowded and 

 black. Mex. B.M. 6248. — A very beautiful species. 



Flowers of Agave 

 attenuata. 



.30. Albicans, Jacobi. Stemless: lvs. about 30, in a dense 

 clusti-r. l."i iTi. or so long, 3-3Kin. wide, tapering to a 

 weak spine, ijlaucous on both sides, the margin lined 

 with small bhick teeth: spike of fls. about 15 in. long; 

 fls. yellowish. Mex. B.M. 7207. G.C. II. 8:717.-This is 

 one of the smaller Agaves. It does not die down after 

 flowering. A form with variegated lvs. 



31. C^lsii, Hook. (^.CfZstd«a, Jacobi). Stemless: Ivs. 

 20-.'in, olili>iri,'-spatulate, 2 ft. or less long, not strongly 

 spine-tipped, tlie marginal lanceolate spines unequal, 

 glauciius : tls. 2 in. or less long, purplish green, the tube 

 very slK.rt. Jlix. B.M. 4934. 



32. densiilora, Huok. Stemless: lvs. 30^0, oblanceo- 

 late-spatulate, 3 ft. or less long, glaucous when young 

 but becoming green, the end-spine Kin. long, the mar- 

 ginal deltoid prickles 1 line or less long : fls. 2 in. or 

 less long, greenish brown. Mex. B.M. 5006. 



33. mitis, Salm-Dyck. Short-stemmed: lvs. .30, oblan- 

 ceolate, 15 in. or less long, 3 in. at broadest part, tip- 

 spine weak, the teeth very small and green or only ob- 

 scurely brown-tipped, green : fls. 2 in. long. Mex. — .4. 

 •mici'acdntha, Salm-Dyck, is very similar. 



EE. Li's. vert/ narrow, weak, the surface mostly ribbed: 

 the margin minutely serrulate 



34. strii.ta, Zucc. Stemless or nearly so: lvs. 150-200, 

 linear from a wide base, 2Kft. or less long, scabrous on 

 the edge, sharp-tipped, glaucous-green, and ribbed on 

 both surf aces : fl. IKin. long, brown-greni. ]\lex. H.M. 

 4950. Cult, under several forms, as var. recurva, linker. 

 Lvs. larger and more falcate, not sharp-tipjied. Var. 

 striata, Baker {A. stricta, Salm-Dyck). Dwarf: Ivs. 

 very stiff, 1 ft. long. Var. eohinold'es. Baker {A. eehi- 

 «o)</f.s',. Jacobi. A. ensifdrmis and A.Hichardsii, Hort. ). 

 Dwarf aud stiff: lvs. only Kft. long. 



35. yuccaefdiia, DC. St. short: lvs. 20-40, much nerved, 

 lini-ar and recurved, with a pale center, entire or nearly 

 so. Mex. B.M.5213.-Int. about 1800. 



36. dasylirioldes, Jacobi. Stemless : lvs. about 100, 

 linear, stiff, very glaucous, serrulate, finely striate ver- 

 tically on both faces : fl. nearly 2 in. long, yellow. Mex. 

 B.M. 5716. 



AA. Foliage weak and soft, dying down annually : in- 

 floreseenee a slender open raceme or spike : st. 

 arising from true bulbs. {Manfreda.) 



37. Virginica, Linn. Lvs. few, green, 6-20 in. long, 

 spreading, lanceolate; pale green or brown mottled, with 

 a narrow white and nearly entire margin : stalk 3-6 ft. 

 high: fls. greenish. S. states. B.M. 1157. 



Var. tigrlna, Engelra. , a form from South Carolina and 

 Missouri, has spotted lvs. 



38. maouldsa, Hook. Fig. 50. Basal lvs. 6-10, blotched 

 with brown or green, soft and fleshy, somewhat recurved, 

 the margin serrulate: St. 15-25 in. high, bearing a few 

 scattered lvs. or leaf -like bracts : fls. 10-25, nearly ses- 

 sile, 2 in. long, purplish ; stamens a little longer than the 

 segments of the fl. S. Tex. B.M. 5122.- Generally la- 

 belled A. maculata. 



of leaf of Agave attenuata 



39. maculita, Regel. A name commonly used for the 

 alM)\f. but a ver\- tiiicertain species. It is probably A. 

 protuhrrans. F.ngelm. 



40. brachystachys, Cav. Lvs. lanceolate, green with a 

 pale nearly entire edge : fls. reddish. B.R. 25:55. — Rare 

 in collections, but a very important plant in Mexico, fur- 

 nishing much of the "amole" of the natives. 



