Contains 7 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
AGAVE Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 323. 1753.
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TYPE: Agave americana Linnaeus 1753. Typified by Britton & P. Wilson, Bot. Porto Rico 5: 156. 1923.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agave americana | AMERICAN CENTURY PLANT | Not Native UPL (NWPL) | |
| Agave angustifolia | CENTURY PLANT | Not Native | |
| Agave decipiens | FALSE SISAL | Native Endemic | |
| Agave desmettiana | DWARF CENTURY PLANT | Not Native | |
| Agave sisalana | SISAL HEMP | Not Native UPL (NWPL) Y | |
| Agave virginica | FALSE ALOE; RATTLESNAKEMASTER | Native | |
| Agave weberi | WILD CENTURY PLANT | Not Native Endangered-State |
[Family identification key]
1. Leaf apex flexible, membranaceous
1. Leaf apex with a hardened, rigid terminal spine
2
2. Terminal spine decurrent (sclerified spine tissue extending down margins of leaf)
3
2. Terminal spine abrupt, truncate at the base
4
3. Larger leaves with stout, hardened marginal prickles throughout the margin, the larger prickles >2 mm long and often sitting on the tuberculate margins
3. Larger leaves entire or with weak marginal prickles to ca. 1 mm long only at the base of the leaves, the margin mostly straight
4. Most or all leaves recurved
4. Most leaves, and especially young ones, held straight (older leaves and those in shade sometimes weak and reflexed)
5
5. Leaves entire or with occasional sporadic prickles or marginal prickles weak, usually < 3 mm long and < 4 mm wide
5. Leaves with marginal hardened prickles throughout; marginal prickles of larger leaves fairly robust, usually > 3 mm long, to 8 mm wide
6
6. Leaves variegated or olive-green to blue-green, sometimes glaucous; flowering usually Jun-Aug; anthers 17.2-27.5 mm long; ovary 16.7-29 mm long
6. Leaves virid, bright to light green and not glaucous (or glaucous only at the leaf base); flowering Jan-Feb; anthers 18-24 mm long; ovary 25-40 mm long