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SANSEVIERIA MIMICS

SANSEVIERIA MIMICS

Stephen Jankalski

There are two dwarf species in the family Agavaceae that superficially
resemble species of Sansevieria far more than cohorts in their own genera.

Agave nizandensis Cutak, Cact. & Succ. Journ. Amer. 23 (5): 145, fig. 87
(1951)
ISI 180 (UCBG 58.1001) Grown from seeds collected in 1958 by T. MacDougall
at the type locality, Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico. (Cact. & Succ. Journ., Amer.
32 (2): 39 (1960))

This dwarf species was found near the village of Nizanda in Oaxaca, Mexico.
It is quite unusual for an Agave by having rather soft, thick and fleshy
leaves with minute soft prickles along the margins. The leaves are deep
green in color with a white stripe down the middle of the upper side. The
species is unique in the genus by having aerial runners analogous to those
of Sansevieria suffruticosa or S.gracilis. It is also unique in its very
slender, few flowered inflorescence.

Despite the uniqueness of this species, Gentry (1982) included it in his
group Amole with much larger growing, more floriferous species. Ullrich
(1991), on the other hand, created the section Nizandensae just for this
species.

Agave nizandensis is an attractive, easily grown species that deservies to
be more widely grown. It is the only Agave that is suited to growing in a
hanging basket.

************************
Yucca endlichiana Trelease, Rept. Missouri Bot. Gard. 18: 229, pl. 15-17
(1907)

Yucca endlichiana is the smallest growing of the Yucca species. The leaves
are erect, quite thickened and stiff, glaucous, maculate with darker green
and are filamentous margined in thir upper half. The few leafed rosettes
arise from a large tuberous caudex. It is native to the Sierra de Parras,
Sierra del Rosario and Sierra de la Paila in Coahuila, Mexico. Its closest
relative appears to be Yucca baccata Torrey.  It is also unique in the
genus in that its few flowered inflorescence is very short and almost at
ground level.

The appearance of this species is more like a Sansevieria that its actual
relatives. The shape and orientation of the leaves is strongly reminiscent
of the "Baseball Bat", Sansevieria hallii Chahinian. Like the latter , it
is also rather slow growing.

Yucca endlichiana was illustrated on the cover of the March-April 1974
issue of the Cactus & Succulent Journal (volume 46 (2): 49). There was also
an article written on it in Ashingtonia 2 (10): 261, 2 figs. (1977). It's
introduction into cultivation came and went without much fanfare. It is
occasionally offered in the trade by some west coast growers.

References

Cutak, L. (1951) A NEW DWARF MEXICAN AGAVE. Cact. & Succ. Journ., Amer. 23
(5): 143-145, fig. 87.

Gentry, H.S. (1982) AGAVES OF CONTINENTAL NORTH AMERICA. University of
Arizona Press.

MacDougall, T. (1960) AGAVE NIZANDENSIS - A REINTRODUCTION. Cact. & Succ.
Journ., Amer. 36 (6): 184.

Trelease, W. (1907) ADDITIONS TO THE GENUS YUCCA. Rept. Missouri Bot. Gard.
18: 225-230, pl. 12-17.

Ullrich, B. (1991) DIE TAXONOMISCHE RANGSCHIKKING VAN AGAVE NIZANDENSIS
CUTAK. Succulenta 70 (4): 89-92, 1 fig.

Ullrich, B. (1991) NIEUWE COMBINATIE. Succulenta 70 (6): 144.
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