Toumey's Century Plant
Agave toumeyana
Observed in June 2009 at Fish Creek Vista, along Apache Trail, Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA.
n. of Carefree, Maricopa Co., Arizona, Sept. 2002
These small agaves are often known as Shin Daggers because the sharp leaf tips can jab the shin of even the most careful hikers! In Arizona this plant occurs at elevations over 1200 m, mostly above typical Sonoran Desert, within chaparral or desert grassland habitat, often on wind-swept, thin-soiled and rocky terraces.
SUCCULENT: Mature plants have a hundred or more thick, succulent
dagger-like leaves in a rosette at ground level. The longest leaves normally
reach to ½ meter tall.
Plants begin reproducing from vegetative pups and as a result clumps of many
plants growing together are often formed.
ARMED: The sharp tips of the leaves will stab a hiker or browsing
herbivore.
LEAVES: The top surface of leaves is flat, some loose fibers may be
present along the margins which may have some serrations towards base.
RANGE: Arizona endemic. On windy terraces above most of the Upper
Sonoran Desert and more abundant in desert grassland or chaparral. Found along
the northern boundaries of the Sonoran Desert.
FLOWERS: Tall narrow stalks with many whitish-cream flowers along their
length appear late May and June. After blooming the plant dies, but is usually
succeeded by one or more vegetatively propagated pups that mature after some
years before flowering.
FRUIT: Fleshy capsules dry and begin splitting open remaining attached
to the dry stalk for a year or more.
Agavaceae -- Agave Family
Sponsored Links:
