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Agave funkiana
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Description: It is a medium sized,
suckering,
acaulescent, species from high altitude similar to the common
Lechuguilla, but much more attractive with larger and more upright open,
radial, rosettes. Grows 60- to 90 cm tall, and 80-120cm wide. Freely
offsetting. Clumps will spread to 2,5 mt across.
Leaves: Linear 60-80cm long and 3.5-5.5cm wide, firm, straight,
or somewhat falcate, patulous, concave above, convexly thickened below,
the base broadly clasping,. They are glossy,deep blue-green with an
attractive pale lime green to yellow mid-stripe. Leaf margins are
corneous, undulate with small teeth and a prominent, grey terminal
spine that's very sharp.
The teeth
are about
3-5mm long and 1-2.5cm apart. Red
to brownish-grey. Mostly facing downward with a few small irregular
interstitial teeth. Terminal spine 1-3cm long, conic-subulate,
with narrow to open groove above, brown to white; .
Flowers: The upper third of the , glaucous gray, 3.5-4.5m tall
flower stem is a laxly flowered raceme of gray-green flowers with
prominent bright yellow stamens. The small bracts above apparently
caducous; flowers 40-45 mm long, pale glaucous green, on dichotomous
pedicels ca. 1 cm long; ovary 20-24 mm long, oblong-fusiform
with constricted grooved neck; tube 3.5-4 mm deep, conspicuously grooved
and knobby angled; tepals 18-19 mm long, at first spreading to
ascending,
appressed and clasping filaments after anthesis, linear,
mucronate with a small hood; filaments 30-35 mm long, inserted on
rim of tube, red or pink; anthers 20 mm long, yellow with pink flush
toward tips; pistil red; capsules 2.5-3 x 1.5 cm, strong-walled,
transversely wavy-ridged, light pruinose gray, abruptly
apiculate; Seeds: 5-6 x 3.5-4.5 mm, thick, shape very
variable, wavy-lined on faces,
hilar notch large. Self-fertile.
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Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of plants belonging to the
Agave lophanta/lechuguilla
complex
(This
Taxon
has lots of synonyms whit several controversial varieties and subspecies
and comprises a multitude of different forms, but where each form
is linked to others by populations of plants with intermediate
characteristics):
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Family: Agavaceae
Agave
funkiana K.Koch & C.D.Bouché, 1
In: Wochens. Gait.
Pflanz. Ver. Beford. Gart. Konig. Preuss. 3: 47, 1860.
Neotype: Gentry 12273, ca. 43 miles S of Jacala, Hidalgo, along
rt. 85, in open woods on limestone, alt. ca. 1,600 m, Oct. 12, 1852,
live plants, grown at Murrieta, California, flowered May 1962.
Origin:
Habitat: This
species is native to Mexico (Hildago, Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon,
Queretaro, San Luis Potosi ) growing at 300-1880 m. But the typical
"funkiana"
sensu stricto is restricted to the Jumave valley
Common English Names include:
Blue Lechuguilla,
Century plant,
Synonyms:
- Agave haynaldii
Tod.?
In: Hort. Bot.
Panorm. 1: 88, 1876.
- Agave lophanta
Schiede
Remarks:
A. funkiana
is a Historically a not clearly derivable name, should probably be
placed as a synonym of A. lechuguilla or of A.
lophantha. Up to date this species is considered by most just a
form of A. lophantha , though the range of forms of these
lophantha-type agaves just melt into each other.
This taxon forms together with A. albomarginata,
A. difformis, A. lechuguilla and A.
lophantha a very variable complex.
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A. funkiana La Placita
This species has very ornamental banded and stripped leaves with
contrasting reddish teeth.
Cultivation: Good in
containers. Agave funkiana is a
relatively easy-to-grow species. Need a very well-drained, soil. It is
theoretically hardy to -7° C , particularly when dry
. It grows fairly fast in summer if provided with copious water but
allows to dry thoroughly before watering again. During the winter
months, one should only water enough to keep the leaves from
shrivelling. They do well in full sun or a lightly shaded area. Plants
cultivated outdoors are drought tolerant and takes blasting heat and
full sun.
Propagation: By
suckers which often are found growing around the base of the
plant, Remove the basal suckers (if available) in spring or summer and
let the cuttings dry for a few days before inserting in compost or by
seed.
Traditional uses:
The roasted bud and stalk are edible. The juice is used to make
tequila. The macerated leaves are used as a
form of soap. It has very
good fibres which withstand hard wear and are water-resistant, that are
used mainly in brush making, but they are occasionally used for textiles
(can be spun, or made into rope) Squirrels like the green capsules and
the fruit.
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