Agave chiapensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Agave chiapensis |
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Agave chiapensis is a unique plant that belongs to the Agave family. It is native to the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. This plant has also been found growing in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Sadly, Agave chiapensis is considered a vulnerable species. This means its populations are quite small and spread out. They are currently threatened by the growth of cities and farms, especially in Chiapas. This expansion takes away the natural places where these plants can live.
What Does It Look Like?
Agave chiapensis is a medium-sized agave plant. It has leaves that spread out in a circular shape, like a rosette. These leaves are light green and can vary in their exact shape, but they often look like an oval.
Leaves and Spines
The edges of the leaves have small, triangle-shaped teeth. These teeth can be tiny, about 3–4 millimeters long, and close together. Or, they can be larger, about 5–10 millimeters long, and spaced further apart. Each leaf also has a strong, sharp spine at its tip. This spine is usually about 2 to 3.5 centimeters long.
Flowers and Stalk
When it's time to bloom, the plant grows a tall flower stalk. This stalk can reach up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) high! The flowers grow along the top third or quarter of this stalk.
The individual flowers are about 60–70 millimeters long. They are usually yellow or green, but they often have shades of red or purple. This coloring, along with dark parts called bractlets, makes the flowers look darker overall. Inside the flowers, there are long, dark threads called filaments. These filaments are about 70–80 millimeters long and stick out far from the flower. At the end of each filament are pollen-producing parts called anthers, which are about 30 millimeters long.
See also
In Spanish: Agave chiapensis para niños
