Agave obscura
Agave obscura
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 obscura is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming an openly spreading rosette of leaves. The leaves on mature plants can each be 35 - 65cm long and 7 - 12cm wide at their widest point. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 2 - 3 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die. However, the plant sometimes produces a number of young plants around its base that will develop as new plants[ 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 sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It yields a useful fibre[ 1837 Title Descriptive Notes on Fibres prepared for the Greater Britain and Paris Exhibitions Publication Author Guilfoyle W.R. Publisher Melbourne Botanic Gardens; Melbourne Year 1899 ISBN Description A list of more than 100 fibre-producing plant species with notes on how the fibre is ectracted. ]. Agave obscura has a relatively large population size, a wide distribution, and it is not declining at a rate sufficient to qualify for a threat category. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' 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. ].