Taxon Report

Agave utahensis (Englem.) Gentry var. eborispina (Hester) Breitung

ivory-spined agave

Print Report


© 2011 Zoya Akulova

Taxon Summary

Agave utahensis var. eborispina, commonly known as ivory-spined agave, is a perennial leaf in the Agavaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Mojavean desert scrub (carbonate, and rocky slopes), growing at elevations from 945 to 1370 meters. Agave utahensis var. eborispina is ranked 1B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Agave utahensis (Englem.) Gentry var. eborispina (Hester) Breitung
Common Name:
 ivory-spined agave
Family: Agavaceae
Element Code: PMAGA010S1
USDA Plants Symbol: AGUTE
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial leaf
Blooming Period: May-Jun May-Jun
Elevation: 945-1370 (3100-4495)
General Habitats: Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 1B.3
Global Rank: G4T3
State Rank:
 S2
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 5
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 1
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 4

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Inyo (INY)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
North of Tecopa Pass (3511681), Twelvemile Spring (3611612)?

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 0
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
0 %

 

Notes
Known in CA only from the Nopah Range. See A. utahensis in The Jepson Manual (1993). On watch list in NV. See Cactus and Succulent Journal 14:131 (1943) for original description and 32:20 (1960) for revised nomenclature.
Threats:
Threatened by horticultural collecting.
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 5 November 2025].