Status: Native
Synonyms:
Agave americana Linnaeus var. latifolia Torrey
Agave parryi var. parryi has grayish-green leaves which are
usually shorter and stouter than the leaves of Agave palmeri. The flowers
on the flowering panicle are usually more densely packed on Agave parryi.
The spine at the end of the leaves on young plants easily pierces
the footwear of poorly prepared hikers. Agave parryi is found at higher elevations
and in a more northern distribution than Agave palmeri in New Mexico. One adult plant usually sprouts several small plants from the base asexually. The parent plant dies after the large flowering stalk matures. The flowering stalk grows at an astounding rate. Each capsule holds dozens of stacked seeds, like a stack of poker chips which then scatter from the chambers when the capsule ruptures. One third to one half of the seeds seem to be white rather than black-- most likely sterile. We think mostly about how our plants are warm & dry weather adapted, but Agave parryi is one of the most cold weather adapted of its genus. This allows Agave parryi to have a distribution higher in elevation than most other Agaves.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Agave parryi var. parryi, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Gold Gulch, June 22, 2005
Agave parryi var. parryi, detail of leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Oct. 14, 2007
Agave parryi var. parryi, detail of capsules, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Oct. 14, 2007
Agave parryi var. parryi, macro of seed from inside capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Nov. 26, 2008
Agave parryi var. parryi, closeup of flower, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, June 10, 2009
Agave parryi var. parryi, 3x macro of inner leaf surface, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, June 10, 2009
Agave parryi var. parryi, closeup of cross section of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, June 10, 2009
Agave parryi var. parryi, macro of cross section of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, June 10, 2009
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