Agavaceae

• Sunken stomates help the century plant endure drought. Water also evaporates through stomates but in the century plant and many others, stomates are placed in shallow pits that help cut down water evaporation by shielding the stomate from drying air currents.

• Although the genus Agave is a large group of some 250-300 species that range across arid North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, just two species of agave occur in the desert regions of California. Many more agave species are found to the south in Baja California and southeast and east in other portions of the Sonoran Desert with biseasonal or summer rainfall regimes. Like the cacti, agave have succulent storage tissue and utilize Crassulacean acid metabolism. A difference between the groups, however, is that the leaves are the primary organs for water storage-although the fibrous leaf structure of agaves holds only moderate amounts of water compared to the succulent stems of most cacti. "California Desert Plants, Philip W Rundel, Robert J Gustafson, Micahel E Kauffmann."
• Certain species, particularly those in the subgenus Agave, provided a major food resource. Generally harvested in January and February at the end of the short winter, century plants provided an important sugar source. Eating this sweet vegetable was a joyful occasion. Youngsters especially awaited the event with eager anticipation. Only plants showing a young emerging inflorescence were selected for harvesting. In the spring the large inflorescence develops rapidly and bears flowers in late spring. The Seri said that plants not showing signs of forming an inflorescence are bitter, whereas those that do are sweet. Obviously this high concentration of carbohydrate enables the plant to produce its relatively enormous inflorescence in such a short time. A plant that is going to flower produces progressively narrower and smaller leaves towards its center. The young emerging inflorescence, called itöj, usually less than 30 cm long, was sometimes cooked for food. The tall, mature inflorescence was called icáp. During years of severe drought we have observed substantially fewer plants producing inflorescences. Agave must be thoroughly cooked in order to be edible, otherwise they are caustic and extremely dangerous to consume. Although agave flowers and nectar were consumed by other Indians there is no indication that the Seri ate them. Agave hearts were roasted in a  pit overnight or longer. Roasting time undoubtedly depended on plant size and quantity. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians. Richards Stephen Felger and Mary Beck Moser."