Plants acaulescent or short-stemmed, trunks less than 1 m; rosettes open. Leaves frequently reflexed, 80-135 × 17-22 cm; blade light green to glaucous-gray, sometimes cross-zoned, broadly lanceolate, adaxially plane or guttered, abaxially convex; margins crenate, teeth, 5-10 mm; apical spine subulate, 3-6 cm. Scape 6-8 m. Inflorescences: lateral branches 15-20. Flowers 7.5-9 cm; perianth tube 15-20 mm; ovary 4-4.5 cm. Capsules 3.5-4 cm. Seeds 7-8 mm.

Flowering early spring--early summer. Sandy places in desert scrub; 200 m; Tex.; ne Mexico.

The Starr County, Texas, plants of subsp. protamericana are smaller in stature than those seen in Mexican populations but appear to belong to this wild taxon.