Agave isthmensis inland form The easiest way to tell

The easiest way to tell them apart is by touching the backs of the leaves

typically in sloping pine-oak woodland

pygmaea from Chiapas in Southern Mexico

as Gentry speculated

A state that borders Oaxaca to the west

Agave isthmensis inland form The easiest way to tellIn the southern Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas grows the dwarf clustering Agave isthmensis. Agave isthmensis derives its name from its native range in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. A coastal form can be found near Salina Cruz, Oaxaca. The plants here grow near boulders and grasses that help protect them from hot sun. There is an inland form that can be found not far from Santiago Laollaga that are more of a pale blue color, with