Agave parviflora Torr.
Smallflower agave, smallflower century plant
This species is native to a small area of southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. It is threatened by loss of habitat, and collection of this rare species is illegal.
Plants: For agaves, at least, these are just little fellers, 4–6″ (10–15 cm) tall and 6–8″ (15–20 cm) around. They may be solitary plants or growing in dense tufts that probably originated from a single plant.
Leaves: 2–4″ (5–10 cm) long and less than ½″ (1.3 cm) wide, dark green, with white imprints from the bud. Short, curly white filaments like those in yuccas are present.
Flowers: Yellow flowers appear atop a spike resembling a giant asparagus, 3–6′ (91–182 cm) tall. About two years after flowering, the plant dies, like most other agaves.
Fruits: Ovoid capsules ⅛–⅜″ (6–10 mm) in diameter.
Habitats: Semi-desert grasslands, oak woodlands, and other dry and rocky places, at elevations of 3000–5000′ (914–1524 m).
Online References:
References:
Irish, Mary & Irish, Gary, Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants: A Gardener’s Guide, Timber Press, 2000, p. 149
5/11/2008 · Osaka Prefectural Flower Garden, Osaka, Japan · By KENPEI 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Liliidae | Includes lilies, orchids, and many others |
| Order | Asparagales | A diverse group that includes asparagus |
| Family | Asparagaceae | Agaves, asparagus, hyacinths, and others |
| Genus | Agave | From Greek, meaning “noble” |
| Species | parviflora | From Greek parvus, “small,” and flora, “flower” |
Agave parviflora description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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