Agave xylonacantha

Agave xylonacantha (woody-spined) is a species of Agave.

Background
Flower green, 1 1/2in. long; spike dense, rather shorter than the scape, its bracts linear-subulate; scape 5ft. to 6ft. long, its bracts subulate, all ascending, the lower ones 6in. to 8in. long. leaves not more than twenty in a stemless rosette, ensiform, diverging irregularly and often curving, 1 1/2ft, to 3ft. long, 2in. to 3in. (rarely 4in.) broad at the middle, narrowed gradually  upwards, a slightly glaucous dead green, marked with a few  darker green lines on the back, furnished with a broad continuous  horny border and a few very large irregular hooked teeth, often united or collected in pairs, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, and 3/8in. to 1/2in. broad; terminal spine brown, pungent, 1in. long. Mexico. A long- known, widely-spread, and distinct species. SYNS. A. amurensis and A. Vanderdonckii.

Varieties/Subspecies
A. x. hybrida is a striking dwarf variety with vittate leaves,  and smaller, more crowded deltoid-cuspidate prickles than in the type. It is also commonly known as A. x. vittata and A. perbella.