About Agave shrevei Gentry
Agave shrevei subsp. matapensis grows as an open basal rosette. Its leaves are 0.7–0.8 inches long and 0.2–0.3 inches wide, and bear distinct compaction marks. The leaf margins are fringed with small pale spines, and each leaf is tipped with a particularly long apical needle whose base can be up to 0.4 inches wide. This subspecies produces small pale yellow flowers. In cultivation, it propagates mainly by seed, and grows quite slowly compared to larger agave species. Some indigenous peoples native to the region where this plant grows use it as a food source. Its immature flowering stalks are sweet, juicy, and easy to harvest; these stalks are eaten raw, or brewed into alcoholic beverages. The leaf bases are also edible, but they require roasting to break down unpleasant chemical compounds.
