Agave americana
Agave neglecta
American agave, American century plant, centuryplant, maguey americano
small agave, wild century plant
erect, spreading to ascending, occasionally reflexed, 80–200 × 15–25 cm;
blade light green to green or glaucous-gray, sometimes variegated or cross-zoned, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, smooth, rigid;
margins nearly straight or undulate to crenate, armed, teeth single, 5–10 mm, 1–4 cm apart;
apical spine dark brown to grayish, conical or subulate, 2–6 cm.
ascending to arching or reflexed, 100–150 × 15–25 cm;
blade light green, probably not cross-zoned, broadly lanceolate, firm, adaxially plane, abaxially slightly convex;
margins nearly straight, not fibrous, minutely armed near base, teeth single prickles, 1–2 mm, 2–3+ cm apart;
apical spine dark brown, acicular, 2.5 cm.
5–9 m.
8–10(–13) m.
paniculate, not bulbiferous;
bracts persistent, triangular, 5–15 cm;
lateral branches 15–35, horizontal to slightly ascending, comprising distal 1/3–1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm.
paniculate, open, often bulbiferous;
bracts persistent, triangular, 0.5–2 cm;
lateral branches 12–20, slightly ascending, comprising distal 1/3–1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm.
erect, 7–10.5 cm;
perianth yellow, tube funnelform to cylindric, 8–20 × 12–20 mm, limb lobes erect, subequal, 20–35 mm;
stamens long-exserted;
filaments inserted above mid perianth tube, erect, yellow, 6–9 cm;
anthers yellow, 25–35 mm;
ovary 3–4.5 cm, neck constricted, 3–6(–8) mm.
12–22 per cluster, erect, 5.5–6 cm;
perianth greenish yellow, tube urceolate, 8–10 × 4–7 mm, limb lobes erect, equal, 20–30 mm;
stamens long-exserted;
filaments inserted ca. mid perianth tube or above, erect, yellow, 4–5 cm;
anthers yellow, 20–25 mm;
ovary 2–3 cm, neck slightly constricted.
short-pedicellate, oblong, 3.5–8 cm, apex beaked.
oblong to ovoid, 3 cm.
6–8 mm.
5–6 mm.
Agave americana
Agave neglecta
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
Various chromosome numbers have been reported for Agave americana under a variety of names, typically without regard to the plant’s origin or its precise taxonomic disposition. Nonetheless, the species is most certainly a polyploid complex based on x = 30, with reports of n = 30 and 2n = 60, 120, and 180 documented by S. D. McKelvey and K. Sax (1933), H. Matsuura and T. Sutô (1935), E. B. Granick (1944), A. K. Sharma and U. C. Bhattacharyya (1962), M. S. Cave (1964), S. Banerjee and A. K. Sharma (1987), Huang S. F. et al. (1989) and B. Vijayavalli and P. M. Mathew (1990). Various dysploids have also been reported (A. F. Dyer et al. 1970; J. L. Strother and G. L. Nesom 1997). See H. S. Gentry (1982) for details.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Agave neglecta continues to live up to its name, being known only from a series of photographs and incomplete, sterile herbarium specimens. Therefore, the above measurements are only an approximation, and all are subject to modification if and when fresh, reproductive material can be studied. Attempts to see this rare species in the field have been thwarted by development and hurricanes. H. S. Gentry (1982) suggested that it might be related to A. weberi, a freely suckering species that produces fiber of an excellent quality. Nothing is known about the uses of A. neglecta. The plant may well be a cultivar of A. sisalana or A. kewensis and represent an ancient introduction from Mexico.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves 80–135 cm, 4–6 times longer than wide; capsules 3.5–4 cm. | subsp. protamericana |
1. Leaves 100–200 cm, 6–10 times longer than wide; capsules 4–8 cm. | subsp. americana |
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