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Agave utahensis var. utahensis (Engelm.)

Family: AGAVACEAE

Accepted Scientific Name: Agave utahensis Engelm. in S.Watson
Botany [Fortieth Parallel] 497. 1871; vol. 5 S.Watson

Agave utahensis var. utahensis (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habit at Calico Hills Sandstone Quarry Calico Tanks trail Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007.

Synonyms:

See all synonyms of Agave utahensis
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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Agave utahensis Engelm. in S.Watson
Botany [Fortieth Parallel] 497. 1871; vol. 5
Synonymy: 8 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Agave utahensis var. eborispina (Hester) Breitung
Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 32: 22. 1960
Synonymy: 2 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Agave utahensis subs. kaibabensis (McKelvey) Gentry
Agaves Cont. N. Amer. 259 1982
Synonymy: 3 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Agave utahensis var. nevadensis Engelm. ex Greenm. & Roush
Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 16: 390, tab. 32. 1929
Synonymy: 2
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Utah Agave, Grand Canyon century plant
ARABIC ( لعربية ): أجاف يوتاهنسس
SPANISH (Español): Agave de Utah
TURKISH (Türkçe): Utah sabırı

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Agave utahensis group

Agave utahensis is variable over its range and comprises two subspecies, subsp. kaibabensis and subsp. utahensis, the latter of which comprising at least 2 varieties, var. nevadensis and var. eborispina. These varieties are now regarded by some botanists as mere ecotypes or geographical forms, so now they are all synonymized with Agave utahensis, but still considered distinct by collectors for their peculiar traits.

  • Agave utahensis Engelm. in S.Watson: (subsp. utahensis)
  • Agave utahensis var. eborispina (Hester) Breitung: has the longest spines of any, often cream or white in colour. Forms small clumps with only a few stems. Distribution: Nopah Mountains
  • Agave utahensis subs. kaibabensis (McKelvey) Gentry: is an attractive solitary form with bright green leaves and grey-white teeth. Leaves 3–5.5 cm wide; rosettes 4–10 dm wide; flowers (2.6–)2.9–4.3 cm long. Know only from northern arizona.
  • Agave utahensis var. nevadensis Engelm. ex Greenm. & Roush: smaller than type, has broader, bluish green leaves with strong marginal teeth. It suckers slowly eventually forming a large matt of spines where you can't tell which leaf belongs to which plant.

22394 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habit at Childrens Discovery Loop Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr
22393 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Rosette at Calico Hills Sandstone Quarry Calico Tanks trail Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr

22392 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habit at Childrens Discovery Loop Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr
22391 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Flowering habit at Calico Basin, Nevada. December 22, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr

22389 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habitat and view from top of trail at Calico Hills Sandstone Quarry Calico Tanks trail Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr
22390 star Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habit at Calico Hills Sandstone Quarry Calico Tanks trail Red Rocks, Nevada. December 26, 2007. (Agave utahensis) Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr


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