AGAVE 



AGAVE 



35 



DD. Lvs. broad and fleshy. 



19. attenujlta, Salm-Dyck (A. glauc4scens, Hook.). 

 Figs. 47—19. St. 4-5 ft., crowned by a great mass of Ivs., 

 sometimes 6 ft. in diam. ; Ivs. about 20, 2-3 ft. long, 6-8 

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

 sides: fl.-spike5 ft. long; fl. 2 In. long, greenish yellow. 

 G.F. 10:95. G.C.II, 2: 218, 223. G.C. III. 17: 455, 457. 

 B.M. 5333. 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. Elemeetiina, Koch. Very near the above, but 

 stemless ; Ivs. about 25, lK-2 ft. long, 4K-6 in. wide ; 

 pale. B.M. 7027. G.C. II. 8:749.-A var. suMentita is 

 sometimes sold. 



CO. Margins of Ivs. more or less toothed. 

 D. Border of Ivs. homy throughout. 



21. univitt&ta, Haw. Stemless: Ivs. about 50, rigid, 



2-2M ft. long, dark green 

 except a pale band down 

 the center: lis. yellowish. 

 Mex. B. M. 0655. — Int. 

 about 1830. 



22. heterac&ntha, Zucc. 

 Very common. Forms seen 

 in collections show a very 

 polymorphous species. 

 Stemless : Ivs. about 20, 

 with a pale band down the 

 center; teeth widely sepa- 

 rated, never handed, 12 in. 

 long, 2 in. broad. Mex.— 

 Numerous varieties. Int. 

 1862. 



23. Lecheguilla, Torr. 

 Rather common in collec- 

 tions, but usually passing 

 as A. heteracantha . Seem- 

 ingly a good species, 

 though referred by Baker 

 to A. heteracantha. Lvs. 

 not banded, and spine very 

 long. W. Tex. and N. Mex. 



24. Victfiriae - EeginsB, 



Moore. Stemless : lvs. 

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

 hroad, the margi,n and bands on the back white, obtuse 

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

 0.0.11.4:485; 11.18:841. I.H.28:413. -Avery remarkable 

 species. Int. In 1872, but now seen in all collections. Prob- 

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



25. NIssoni, Baker. A small species usually growing 

 in clumps; especially desirable for large vases. Lvs. 5-6 

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

 known to have flowered. 



26. h6rrida, 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. xylonacintha, 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. 

 IXin. or less long, greenish yellow. Mes. B.M. 5660. 

 G.C. II. 7:523.—^. Amurinsis and A. Kdchii, Jacobi, 

 are forms of this species. 



28. Kerchdvei, Lem. (A . Beaucdmei, Lem. A . rigid- 

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

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

 above, not dark-lined below, with lanceolate curved 

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

 forms, as diplactotha, macroddnta, peotinslta. 



DD. Border of lvs . not horny . 

 E. Lvs. ohlong, with small teeth. 



29. B6tteri, Baker. Stemless: lvs. 50, 2ft. long, broad, 

 :pale green; triangular teeth on margin, crowded and 

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



Flowers of Agave 

 attenuata. 



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

 cluster, 15 in. or so long, 3-3Kin. wide, tapering to a 

 weak spine, glaucous on both sides, the margin lined 

 with small black 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. C61aii, Hook. (4. CeZsidno, Jacobi). Stemless: lvs. 

 20-30, oblong-spatulate, 2 ft. or less long, not strongly 

 spine-tipped, the marginal lanceolate spines unequal, 

 glaucous : fls. 2 in. or less long, purplish, green, the tube 

 very short. Mex. B.M. 4934. 



32. densi!16ra. Hook. Stemless: lvs. 30-40, ohlanceo- 

 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. mltis, Salm-Dyck. Short-stemmed: lvs. 30, obi an- 

 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.— ^. 

 micracdntha, Salm-Dyck, is very similar. 



EE. IjVS. very narrow, weak, the surface mostly ribbed : 

 the margin minutely serr^tlate 



34. striata, 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-green. Mex. B.M. 

 4950. Cult, under several forms, as var. reciirva. Baker. 

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

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

 very stiff, 1 ft. long. Var. echinoides, Baker {A. echi- 

 noldes, J OGohi. A. ensifdrmis and^.-Bicftardsu, Hort.). 

 Dwarf and stiff: lvs. only Kft. long. 



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

 linear and recurved, with a pale center, entire or nearly 

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



36. dasylirioides, 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- 

 florescence 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. tigrina, Engelm., a form from South Carolina and 

 Missouri, has spotted lvs. 



38. maculdsa. 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. 



49. Cross-sections of leaf of Agave attenuata. 



39. macul&ta, Regel. A name commonly used for the 

 above, but a very uncertain species. It is probably A. 

 protuberans, Engelm. . 



40. brach^stachys, Cav. Lvs. lanceolate, green with a 

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

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

 nishing much of the " amole " of the natives. 



