Agave parviflora
Torr.
Small-flower Agave
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153004
Element CodePMAGA010L0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix I
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusAgave
Other Common Names
Santa Cruz Striped Agave (EN) Sóbali (ES) Sobarí (ES) Tauta (ES) Tautilla (ES)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Agave parviflora is considered by Gentry (1982) and FNA (vol. 26, 2002) to be comprised of two subspecies: ssp. flexiflora in Sonora, Mexico, and ssp. parviflora in Arizona, U.S.A. and in Sonora, Mexico. Kartesz (1999) recognizes only the species, which he reports as endemic to Arizona. Starr and Devender (2011) describe a third subspecies A. parviflora ssp. densiflora known only from Sonora, Mexico.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2026-01-26
Change Date1998-07-09
Edition Date2026-01-26
Edition AuthorsGardner, P.A., 8/89; rev. B. MacBryde, 9/2000, rev. Soteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Agave parviflora is a wide-ranging perennial succulent, forb to shrub found in open rocky slopes, mostly in desert grasslands and oak woodlands. It occurs in southwestern North America in southern Arizona, United States, south to Chihuahua and Sonora in northwestern Mexico. There are over 50 occurrences, which face threats from ranching (both habitat degradation and direct impacts to plants through cattle trampling and foraging), wild harvest for horticulture, and other threats in some places. Monitoring of populations should be conducted to improve our understanding of reproduction, plant abundance, threats, and trends, as well as continuing conservation measures to protect the taxon.
Range Extent Comments
Agave parviflora occurs in southwestern North America in southern Arizona (Pima and Santa Cruz counties), United States, south to Chihuahua and Sonora in northwestern Mexico (FNA 2002, Hodgson et al. 2020). Range extent was estimated to be over 40,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (AZGFD 2025, RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, SEINet 2026). There are three subspecies, only one of which occurs in the United States (FNA 2002, Hodgson et al. 2020).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 50 occurrences rangewide (AZGFD 2025, RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by ranching (both habitat degradation and direct impacts to plants through cattle trampling and foraging), wild harvest for horticulture, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (Hodgson et al. 2020).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Agave parviflora grows on "open rocky slopes, mostly in desert grasslands and oak woodlands" (FNA 2002, Hodgson et al. 2020).
Reproduction
This taxon flowers in from late spring (May) through late summer (August) (FNA 2002, Wildflower Center 2026). Plants are monocarpic, meaning they flower once in their lifetime and then die. Plants create colonies, freely suckering and creating new individuals at the base of parent plants (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | S3 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 - Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 2.3.2 - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 5 - Biological resource use | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plants | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 5.2.1 - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
Arizona (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Tumacacori | Coronado National Forest | 44,594 |
References (12)
- Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). 2025. Data export from Biodiversity Tracking and Conservation System (Biotics 5). Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ (accessed 19 Dec 2025).
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
- Gentry, H.S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America. Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
- Hodgson, W., Puente, R., and A. Salywon. 2020. <i>Agave parviflora</i>. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T115689669A116354298. Online. Available: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T115689669A116354298.en (accessed 2026).
- iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
- Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
- Kearney, T.H., R.H. Peebles, and collaborators. 1951. Arizona flora. 2nd edition with Supplement (1960) by J.T. Howell, E. McClintock, and collaborators. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1085 pp.
- <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
- Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).
- Starr, G., and T.R. Van Devender. 2011. <i>Agave parviflora </i>subspecies <i>densiflora</i>, a newly found treasure from the Sierra Madre in Eastern Sonora, Mexico. Cactus and Succulent Journal 83(5): 224-231.
- Wildflower Center. 2026. Native Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Austin Texas. Online. Available: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/ (accessed 2026).