Lechuguilla
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| Agave lechuguilla Torr., 1859 |
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 life before it dies, the nectar is a great nutrient in the diet of insects, bats, and some birds. Native Americans living in the Southwestern Deserts have often used the fibers from the succulent leaves to make ropes and mats (commonly called “ixtle,” but also a hard fiber known by the trade name “Tampico fibre”). The leaves are tough and rigid, with very sharp, hardened points which can easily penetrate clothing and even leather (thus the colloquial name Shin-daggers). The water stored in this plant, rich in salts and minerals, is often sold in Mexico as a sport drink, though the plant itself is poisonous to cattle, goats, and sheep.
