Hechtia guatemalensis Mez

Hechtia guatemalensis Mez, Repert. Nov. Sp. 3: 14. 1906
Flowering plant slender, probably at least 2 m. high; leaves rosulate, 7-8 dm. long; sheaths suborbicular, slightly wider than the blade; blades linear-triangular, 3-6 cm. wide at the base, glabrous above, covered below with a dense even layer of white scales, the caudate apex entire, elsewhere armed with fine uncinate teeth 3-4 mm. long and 5-12 mm. apart; scape glabrous; scape-bracts unknown; inflorescence amply and densely tripinnate, 1 m. long, glabrous; primary bracts lance-triangular, not over 3 cm. long, entire or rarely the lowest ones serrulate toward apex; branches up to 3 dm. long; secondary bracts narrowly triangular, 5 mm. long, membranaceous; racemes 10-15 cm. long, laxly flowered; floral bracts lanceolate or triangular, acuminate, about equaling the pedicels, scarious; pedicels in the staminate plants slender, spreading, 2 mm. long, in the pistillate plants stout, reflexed, I mm. long; sepals elliptic in the staminate flowers, obtuse, 1.75 mm. long; petals elliptic in the staminate flowers, obtuse, 5 mm. long, white; stamens shorter than the petals; ovary or its rudiment almost wholly inferior, glabrous; capsule ellipsoid, 5-8 mm. long, glabrous, prominently and irregularly veined; seeds oblong, black-brown, minutely pitted, the wing reduced to two apical tubercles and a single narrow connecting band.
TvPB locality: San Beniardo, between Trapichc Grande and Las Canoras, Guatemala, Guatemala, altitude 600 meters.
Distribution: Southeastern Guatemala and western Salvador.