Home/Species/ Tonto Basin Agave

Agave delamateri

W.C. Hodgson & L. Slauson

Tonto Basin Agave

G2Imperiled Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144129

Element CodePMAGA010W0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single state or province

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderAsparagales

FamilyAsparagaceae

GenusAgave

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2015-05-18

Change Date1999-08-16

Edition Date2015-05-18

Edition AuthorsOliver, L.

Range Extent<100-250 square km (less than about 40-100 square miles)

Number of Occurrences6 - 20

Rank Reasons

Agave delamateri is known only from in and around archaeological sites in the Tonto Basin and Verde Valley in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. It was cultivated during pre-Columbian times when various traits were selected for by the people managing the crop which lead to divergence from its closest wild ancestor (Parker et al. 2007). Referred to as a 'cultigen' this species is only from approximately 90 clones, does not reproduce sexually and has lower genetic diversity compared to other Agaves. It is threatened by urban sprawl, creation of reservoirs, recreation activities and a fungus transported by the snout agave weevil.

Range Extent Comments

Endemic to a narrow range in central Arizona in the Tonto Basin and the Verde Valley (Parker et al. 2007).

Occurrences Comments

Parker et al. (2007) report 10 populations in their genetics study. NatureServe and Natural Heritage data report 65 element occurrences as of 2015; presumably more than one element occurrence make up what Parker et al. (2007) refer to as a population.

Threat Impact Comments

The arid conditions of May and June can cause physiological stress. Another threat is the snout agave weevil which spreads a fungus which can damage plants (AZGFD 2003). Other threats include the lack of asexual reproduction and low genetic diversity (Parker et al. 2007) which can be problems in among themselves but also make the species more vulnerable to climate change as it occurs in the desert. Additional threats include urban sprawl, roads, recreation (off road vehicles), expansion of reservoirs, and other recreation activities (AZGFD 2003).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Usually found atop high benches, which are often south- or southwest-facing, or on open hilly slopes, which can be more gentle and are sometimes northeast-facing. Sites often overlook major drainage systems and perennial streams. Soils are gravelly or cobbly, deep, and well-drained; underlying substrate is often conglomerate, sometimes limestone. Plant community is usually Sonoran desert scrub, occasionally Interior Chaparral, Great Basin Conifer (pinyon-juniper) Woodland, or juniper-grassland. Associated species include Carnegiea gigantea, Prosopis sp., Juniperus sp., Gutierrezia sp., Fouquieria¿ splendens, Calliandra eriophylla, Menodora scabra, Echinocereus fasciculatus var. fasciculatus, Echinocereus fasciculatus var. bonkerae, Erodium cicutarium, and occasionally Rhus trilobata, Opuntia engelmannii, Canotia holacantha, Yucca baccata, and Psilostrophe sp. Often found in or near archeological features of the Mogollon, Salado, and Hohokam cultures, including multi-room foundations, and also above check dams and linear alignments. 670 - 1600 m.

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralSavannaDesert

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Arizona	S2	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
1 - Residential & commercial development	Large - restricted	Serious - slight	Unknown
4 - Transportation & service corridors	—	—	—
4.1 - Roads & railroads	Large - restricted	Serious - slight	Unknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	—	—	—
6.1 - Recreational activities	Large - restricted	Serious - slight	Unknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	—	—	—
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseases	Pervasive (71-100%)	Serious - slight	Unknown

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (3)

Arizona (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cimarron Hills	Coconino National Forest	5,303
Hackberry	Coconino National Forest	17,885
Sierra Ancha Wilderness Contiguous	Tonto National Forest	7,787

References (6)

Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2003. Agave delamateri. Unpublished abstract compiled and edited by the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. 6 pp.
Arizona Rare Plant Committee (ARPC). 2001. Arizona rare plant field guide: A collaboration of agencies and organizations. Arizona Rare Plant Committee, Phoenix.
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.
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Parker, K. C., J. L. Hamrick, W. C. Hodgson, D. W. Trapnell, A. J. Parker, and R. K. Kuzoff. 2007a. Genetic consequences of pre-Columbian cultivation fo Agave murpheyi and A. delamateri (Agavaceae). American Journal of Botany 94(9): 1479-1490.
Rutman, S. 1992. Handbook of Arizona's endangered, threatened, and candidate plants. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Phoenix, Arizona.

Agave delamateri

Habitat

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