Agave gypsicola
Agave gypsicola
Safety & Hazards
Many Agave species have strong, sharp spines on the leaves and leaf tips. In theory at least, the flowers, nectar, immature flowering stem and the centre of the rosette of all Agave species is edible and, with proper preparation, can provide a sweet, tasty foodstuff. Some species, however, contain relatively high levels of saponins (which makes them taste bitter) and some other compounds which can cause bellyache, and so these would only be eaten in times of desperation. In addition, many people may find these foods to be strongly laxative the first few times they eat them[ 1846 Title The Agaves of Baja California Publication Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, No. 130, Author Gentry H.S. Publisher California Academy of Sciences; San Francisco Year 1978 ISBN 0068-5461 Description ].
Botanical Description
Agave gypsicola is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming an open rosette of leaves that can be 70 - 100cm tall and 100 - 140cm in diameter. Around 20 - 40 leaves are produced on mature plants, each of which can be 45 - 60cm long and 20 - 26cm wide near the base. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 4.5 - 6 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. Although locally abundany, Agave gypsicola has a very restricted range and is found in only one location. The fragility of the habitat and the its alteration by various human activities, such as free grazing, are the main threats to the species.The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 1854 Title Cuatro especies nuevas de Agave (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae) del sur de México Publication Acta Botanica Mexicana 126: e1461, 2019 Author García-Mendoza A.J. et al Website http://10.21829/abm126.2019.1461 Publisher Year 2019 ISBN Description ].