Agave cupreata is a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae,[2] and is found only on mountain slopes of the Rio Balsas basin in the Mexican states of Michoacán and Guerrero at elevations of 1,200-1,800 meters.[3] A. cupreata is a long-lived plant with mature leaves reaching between 40–80 cm in length and a flowering stalk of 4–7 m.[3] The age of maturity for A. cupreata is variable, but generally occurs at any time from 5–15 years.[4] A monocarpic perennial which does not reproduce clonally, A. cupreata allocates its accumulated resources toward the production of a single inflorescence and dies following the production of seeds.[5]
| Agave cupreata | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
| Genus: | Agave |
| Species: | A. cupreata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Agave cupreata | |
Communities in the mountains of Guerrero harvest and make mezcal out of Agave cupreata, known locally as maguey papalote.[4]
References
edit- ^ Torres-García, I.; García-Mendoza, A.J.; Sandoval-Gutiérrez, D.; Casas, A. (2020). "Agave cupreata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T114979361A116353713. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T114979361A116353713.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Agave cupreata Trel. & A.Berger". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ^ a b Gentry, H.S., 1982. Agaves of Continental North America. The University of Arizona press, Tucson, Arizona.
- ^ a b Illsley, C., Tlacotempa, A., Rivera, G., Morales, P., Garcia, J., Casarrubias, L., Calzada, M., Calzada, R., Carranca, C., Flores, J., Omar, E., 2005. Maguey papalote: para todo mal, mezcal; para todo bien, tambien. In: Lopez, C., Chanfon, S., Segura, G. (Eds.), La riqueza de los bosques mexicanos: mas alla de la madera. SEMARNAT, Mexico.
- ^ Nobel, P.S., 1988. Environmental Biology of Agaves and Cacti. Cambridge University Press, New York.