| gen. |
henequen; henequin; Blue Lechuguilla (Agave funkiana или Agave lechugilla; Lechuguilla - Agave lechuguilla - is an agave found only in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts, almost always on limestone. For this reason it is an indicator species for the Chihuahuan Desert. The plant flowers once in its life, then it dies. The flowers are a source of nutrients for insects, bats, and some birds.The leaves are long, tough and rigid, with very sharp, hard points which can easily penetrate clothing and even leather, giving the colloquial name Shin-daggers. Native Americans living there have used fibers from the leaves (commonly called ixtle, but also a hard fiber known by the trade name Tampico fiber) to make ropes and mats.A. funkiana (possibly named for Henrich Christian Funck, 19th century German botanist) 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 Kassandra); Century plant (Agave funkiana или Agave lechugilla; Lechuguilla - Agave lechuguilla - is an agave found only in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts, almost always on limestone. For this reason it is an indicator species for the Chihuahuan Desert. The plant flowers once in its life, then it dies. The flowers are a source of nutrients for insects, bats, and some birds.The leaves are long, tough and rigid, with very sharp, hard points which can easily penetrate clothing and even leather, giving the colloquial name Shin-daggers. Native Americans living there have used fibers from the leaves (commonly called ixtle, but also a hard fiber known by the trade name Tampico fiber) to make ropes and mats.A. funkiana (possibly named for Henrich Christian Funck, 19th century German botanist) 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 Kassandra) |
