Agave sisalana Perrine
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Authority
Britton, Nathaniel L. & Millspaugh, Charles F. 1920. The Bahama Flora.
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Family
Asparagaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
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Species Description - Subaeaulescent. Leaves finally green and somewhat glossy, at first lightly glaucous and transversely banded on the back, linear-lanceolate, nearly flat, about 10 by 150 cm.; spine dark brown, somewhat pitted and glossy, tumidly conical or triquetrous, slightly recurved, shallowly round-grooved near the base, 45 by 20-25 mm., not decurrent; prickles exceptionally numerous and 2-4 mm. long, but typically.minute or almost entirely suppressed; inflorescence about 6 m. high, the upper half loosely oblong-paniculate; pedicels 5-10 mm. long; flowers yellowish green, 45-60 mm. long; ovary 20-25 mm. long, shorter than the perianth, soon broadly fusiform; tube urceolate, 15-20 mm. deep; segments 6-8 by 15-20 mm., a little shorter than the ovary; filaments inserted about the upper third of the tube, 40-70 or even 80 mm. long, twice or thrice as long as the segments; capsules, when produced, which is rare, oblong, 20-25 by 60 mm., stipitate and beaked; seeds 7 by 10 mm. Freely bulbiferous.
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Discussion
In fields of the cultivated plant many individuals were found with spineless leaf margins, others with very spiny margins, and still others both spiny and spineless margins on the same plant. Sisal.
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Distribution
Rocky plains, spontaneous after cultivation, Andros, New Providence, Cat Island. Native of Yucatan. Cultivated throughout the archipelago.
Andros Island Bahamas South America| New Providence Bahamas South America| Cat Island Bahamas South America| Yucatán Mexico North America|