Asparagaceae FAMILY Vulnerable

Agave geminiflora

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

Many Agave species have strong, sharp spines on the leaves and leaf tips. In theory at least, the flowers, nectar, immature flowering stem and the centre of the rosette of all Agave species is edible and, with proper preparation, can provide a sweet, tasty foodstuff. Some species, however, contain relatively high levels of saponins (which makes them taste bitter) and some other compounds which can cause bellyache, and so these would only be eaten in times of desperation. In addition, many people may find these foods to be strongly laxative the first few times they eat them[ 1846 Title The Agaves of Baja California Publication Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, No. 130, Author Gentry H.S. Publisher California Academy of Sciences; San Francisco Year 1978 ISBN 0068-5461 Description ].

Botanical Description

Agave geminiflora is an evergreen, short-stemmed, succulent plant forming a dense rosette of leaves that can be 70 - 80cm tall and up to 100cm in diameter. The leaves on mature plants can each be 45 - 60cm long and 6 - 8mm wide near the base. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 4 - 7 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die[ 1844 Title Agave Agavaceae Publication Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons, pp 21-311 Author Thiede J. Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-56486-8_111 Publisher Springer Nature Year 2020 ISBN Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a fibre. Agave geminiflora is found in only two to three locations, and there are ongoing declines in its extent of occurrence due to logging. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeSouthwest N. America - western Mexico (Nayarit, Jalisco)

HabitatFound in the transitional zone between tropical dry and temperate forest; at elevations from 650 - 1,950 metres[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].