Agave temacapulinensis
| Agave temacapulinensis | ||||||||||||
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| Agave temacapulinensis | ||||||||||||
| A.Vázquez & Cházaro |
Agave temacapulinensis is a plant from the genus of the Agave ( agave ).
description
Agave temacapulinensis grows solitary and sometimes forms runners. The compact rosettes reach a height of 0.80 to 1.15 m with a diameter of up to 1.7 m. The irregularly upwardly directed, strong, smooth, egg to lanceolate blue-gray leaves are 55 to 90 cm long and 10 to 20 cm wide. The leaf margin is wavy and has strong, variable thorns. The black to blue-gray pointed end spine is 3.5 to 4.5 cm long.
The paniculate, straight to slightly curved inflorescence is 5.5 to 6.5 m high. The yellow to reddish, elongated flowers appear on short, variable branches on the upper half of the inflorescence and are 60 to 70 mm long and 12 mm wide. The flower tube is 9 to 15 mm long and up to 12 mm wide.
The elongated, three-chamber capsule fruits are 40 to 50 mm long and 14 to 18 mm wide. The variable, crescent-shaped, black, shiny seeds are 5 to 6 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide.
The flowering period extends from May to June. The seeds are ripe from June, depending on the altitude.
Systematics and distribution
Agave temacapulinensis grows endemically in Mexico, in the state of Jalisco in calcareous rock in woodland at an altitude of 1600 to 1700 m. It is associated with Yucca jaliscensis and numerous cacti and succulent species.
The first description by José Antonio Vázquez-García and Miguel de Jesús Cházaro-Basáñe was published in 2012.
Agave temacapulinensis is a member of the Ditepalae group . The species grows limited in the Los Altos region in western Mexico in the state of Jalisco. The blue-gray leaves with the wavy, strong leaf margins are typical. In the morning hours, the flowers are the attraction of various hummingbird species, which find plenty of nectar. It is closely related to other members of the Ditepalae , Agave wocomahi and Agave durangensis group . However, differences in shape, size, leaf and flower structure are recognizable. The leaves are used to prepare fish dishes. The species is endangered by the construction of the dam, the Zapotillo project. It is proposed to add Agave temacapulinensis to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. The name refers to the town of Temacapulín , the occurrence of Agave temacapulinensis .
literature
- José Antonio Vázquez-García, Miguel de Jesús Cházaro-Basáñez, Miguel Angel Muñiz-Castro, Gregorio Nieves-Hernández: Agave temacapulinensis (Agavaceae), a New Ditepalous Species from the Los Altos Region, Jalisco, Mexico . In: Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature . Volume 22, Number 2, 2012, pp. 235-239 ( doi: 10.3417 / 2011065 ).