Agave utahensis

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Agave utahensis
Rigid 071226-0817 Agave utahensis.jpg

Agave utahensis

Systematics
Order : Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family : Asparagaceae (Asparagaceae)
Subfamily : Agave family (Agavoideae)
Genre : Agaves ( agave )
Subgenus : Littaea
Type : Agave utahensis
Scientific name
Agave utahensis
Engelm.

Agave utahensis is a plant from the genus of the Agave ( agave ). The specific epithet utahensis refers to the occurrence of the species in the US state of Utah . It is the most northerly occurring species of the genus. English common names are "Utah Agave" and "Yant".

description

Agave utahensis forms small, compact groups with heights of 10 to 30 cm and 25 to 40 cm in diameter. The yellow-green to bluish, variably arranged, stiff or curved, linear to lanceolate leaves with the short, pointed, gray to brown terminal spine are up to 30 cm long and 20 to 30 mm wide. The leaf margins are serrated irregularly.

The paniculate or grape-like inflorescence is 150 to 350 cm high. The cup-like yellow flowers are 25 to 30 mm long and 9 to 12 mm wide.

The egg-shaped to elongated, three-chambered capsule fruits are 9 to 12 mm long and up to 8 mm wide. The black, shiny seeds measure 2 to 3 mm in diameter.

The flowering period extends from May to June.

Systematics and distribution

Agave utahensis is distributed in the southwestern United States in the states of California , Utah , Nevada and Arizona in various soil formations on stony slopes, in grasslands, desert and mountain regions and open woodlands at altitudes of 1000 to 1700 m. It is associated with Yucca elata subsp. utahensis , Yucca baccata and numerous cactus species such as Sclerocactus parviflorus subsp. havasupaiensis , Navajoa peeblesiana subsp. fickeiseniorum , Escobaria missouriensis subsp. marstonii , Echinocactus polycephalus subsp. xeranthemoides and Echinocereus triglochidiatus subsp. mojavensis socialized.

The first description by George Engelmann was published in 1871. A synonym is Agave haynaldii var. Utahensis (Engelm.) A. Terracc. (1885).

The following subspecies are distinguished:

  • Agave utahensis subsp. utahensis
  • Agave utahensis subsp. kaibabensis (McKelvey) Gentry

The species belongs to the subgenus Littaea and is assigned to the Urceolatae group. When dry, Agave utahensis can tolerate short periods of frost down to minus 15 ° C, while the subspecies Agave utahensis subsp. kaibabensis of the South Rim region at the Grand Canyon at an altitude of 2000 m survives frosts down to minus 20 ° C.

gallery

  • blossoms

  • Split seed pods

  • Blooming agave utahensis

proof

  • August J. Spread: Agave utahensis. In: The Agaves. The Cactus & Succulent Journal Yearbook, 1968, p. 21.
  • Howard Scott Gentry : Agave utahensis. In: Agaves of Continental North America. The University of Arizona Press, 1982, ISBN 0-8165-0775-9 , pp. 257-259.
  • Zlatko Janeba: Agave utahensis complex. In: Kaktusy Special 2. 2010, pp. 5-14.
  • James L. Reveal, Wendy C. Hodgson: Agave utahensis . In: Flora of North America . Oxford University Press, 2002, pp. 450-451 ( online ).
  • Joachim Thiede: Agave utahensis . In: Urs Eggli (Hrsg.): Succulent lexicon. Monocotyledons . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3662-7 , pp. 69 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names . Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-05597-3 , p. 248.
  2. ↑ George Engelmann: Yucca , Agave. Hesperaloe In: Sereno Watson and others: Botany. United States Geological Exploration of the fortieth parallel . Volume 5, United States Government Printing Office , Washington 1871, p. 497 (online)
  3. ↑ Urs Eggli (Ed.): Succulents Lexicon. Monocotyledons . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3662-7 , pp. 69 .

Web links

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