Background:

Agave salmiana has two subspecies with great morphological variation. Agave salmiana subsp. salmiana is native to arid areas of Central and Southern Mexico, with food, cultural and economic importance, but the level of phenotypic variation of its epidermal characteristics is unknown.

Question:

What is the degree of anatomical variation intra and interpopulation in epidermal characters, particularly in the margin, the intermediate region and middle leaf?

Methods:

Epidermis samples were compared, from three regions of leaves, from five individuals in three localities of the State of Mexico. These were mounted as semi-permanent preparations; fourteen parameters were statistically compared in the three levels assigned.

Results:

There were significant differences between the regions of the leaf by 57 %; while among individuals of each locality there is 21, 36 and 71 % respectively, and among localities 71 %. Phenotypic plasticity interval goes from 14 to 100 %, the lowest among the regions of the leaves and the largest on Teotihuacan. The relationship of this variation with the origin of the plants can be inferred. Multivariate analysis demonstrate that six epidermal characteristics significantly distinguish individuals from the three towns, particularly those from Tecamac.

Conclusion:

The variation in the epidermal characters is significant to both intra and interpopulation level. Except among three regions of leaf, phenotypic plasticity is high among individuals of each location and the three towns.

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