Asparagaceae FAMILY Endangered

Agave guiengola

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

1/5

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 guiengola is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming a rosette of leaves. Around 9 - 16 (up to 30 in cultivation) leaves are produced on mature plants each of which can be 30 - 50cm long and 14 - 25cm wide near the base. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 2 - 4 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die. The plant is possibly used medicinally. It is a strikingly ornamental and very distinct species, especially due to its broad, thick, white-glaucous leaves[ 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 ]. Agave guiengola has a restricted range, being known from only two locations, and it experiences continuing declines in habitat and number of mature individuals due to the extraction of marble from the rocks the plants grow on and harvesting for ornamental purposes. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' 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 RangeSouthern N. America - southwest Mexico (Oaxaca)

HabitatLow dry forest in calcareous soils, it can be found on sheer cliff-faces in prodigious numbers; at elevations from 100 - 500 metres, occasionally to 1,434 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. , 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 ].