Agave shawii

Agave shawii in San Vicente in Baja California

Shawii Agave is a plant of the genus Agave ( Agave ).

Description

Agave shawii grows individually, forms a short to long stem up to 2 m high or formed large, compact groups. The thickened at the base, ovate to linealischen, fleshy, tapering, finely roughened, green to bluish, curved leaves are 20-50 cm long and 8-20 cm wide. The leaf margins are variable curved and serrated. The strong, brown to gray Enddorn is 2 to 4 cm long.

The Rispige, straight to slightly curved inflorescence is 3 to 5 m high. The yellow to reddish, wide trichterigen flowers appear in the upper half of the inflorescence of variable branching and are 65 to 100 mm long.

The egg-shaped to oblong, dark brown, dreikammerigen capsule fruits are 5.5 to 6.5 cm long and to 2.5 cm wide. The black, crescent - up wedge-shaped seeds are long and 7 mm.

The flowering period extends from December to May

Systematics and distribution

Agave shawii is widespread in Mexico in Baja California, near the coast and in the USA in California in Sagebrushformationen. It is associated with numerous species of succulents and cacti.

The first description by George Engelmann was published in 1875. Some of the numerous synonyms of Agave shawii Engelm. Agave are orcuttiana Trel. (1912 ) and Agave pachyacanthaTrel. (1912).

We distinguish the following sub- types:

• Agave shawii subsp. shawii
• Agave shawii subsp. goldmaniana

Agave shawii is a member of the group Umbelliflorae. Due to the unique environmental conditions of the Pacific region, the shapes are different in size, leaf structure and flowering time. The occurring in drier areas in the south of Baja California subspecies has goldmaniana long, light green leaves and the inflorescence is more towards the tip of a pyramid. It is closely related with agave sebastiana.

Evidence

• August J. Breitung: Agave shawii. In: The Agaves. The Cactus & Succulent Journal Yearbook, 1968, p 75
• Howard Scott Gentry: Agave shawii. In: Agaves of Continental North America. The University of Arizona Press, 1982, pp. 639-645.
• J.Thiede: Agave shawii. In: Urs Eggli (ed.): Succulents Encyclopedia. Monocotyledons ( monocots ). Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3662-7, page 62