AGAVES OF THE UNITED STATES. 75 
from the central bud, an extremely delicate white mar<xin 
soon fluffs away, and the new epidermis below bears tinv 
little teeth from apex to base. A further develoi^nient 
results in the formation of niarfrinal threads on the upper 
portion of leaf, which evoutualiy split off, while the teeth 
persist on the thin membranous margin of the base, 
-t- +- Leaf with a continuous, toothed, horny margin from apex to 
A. Lechuguilla Torrey. — Leaves about 10 to 15, 
thick, concave above, rounded below, usually 20 to 35 cm. 
long, 2 to 3.5 cm. wide, others much larger, 5 cm. wide 
and sometimes 60 cm. long, narrowed above a very broad 
base, and after widening slightly, maintaining nearly 
parallel edges for some distance, and gradually tapering 
above, deep green with many interrupted darker lines on 
lower side, and less distinct ones on upper side when 
young; end-spine channeled, 18 to 40mm. long, extending 
do^vnwards to a point on the back of leaf ; margin rather 
broad; teeth commencing at a considerable distance below 
apex, largest towards middle of leaf, 5 to 10 mm. long, 
rather distant, stout, usually strongly reflexed, sometimes 
llexuous : color of end-spine, margin and prickles, brown, 
soon turning to gray ; margin and prickles at last splitting 
off, and falling away in pieces or entirely, but usually leav- 
ing a part attached to end-spine; scape slender, 18 to 40 
dm. high; bracts 50 mm. long below, 10 to 12 mm. a}>ove, 
deciduous ; flowers sometimes in clusters of three to sev- 
eral, and variable in size, (fresh) from 30 to 40 mm. long 
above base of ovary; perianth spreading, campanulate, 
greenish or yelio\vish white, sometimes deeply tinged 
pai-tly or completely with purple ; tube 2 to 3 mm., lobes 15 
to 18 mm. long: tilaments purple, insetted at base of lobes, 
35 mm. long; anthers 18 to U mm. long; style slightly 
shorter than tilaments ; capsules ovoid or oblong, 15 to 35 
mm. long; seeds smooth, shining, 3 to 4 mm. in longest 
diameter^— Bot. of the Boundary (1858), 213. A. heter- 
