Agave sisalana

Perrine

Trop. Pl., 87. 1838.

Common names: Sisal
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 454. Mentioned on page 443, 444, 445, 455.

Plants short-stemmed, commonly suckering with elongate rhizomes, trunks 0.4–1 m; rosettes not cespitose, 15–20 × 15–25 dm. Leaves spreading, 90–130 × 9–12 cm; blade green, slightly cross-zoned when immature, lanceolate, firm, adaxially plane, abaxially slightly convex; margins straight, finely fibrous, typically unarmed, teeth single prickles when present, 1–2 mm, 2–5+ cm apart; apical spine dark-brown, subulate, 2–2.5 cm. Scape 5–6 m. Inflorescences paniculate, open, often bulbiferous; bracts persistent, triangular, 0.5–2 cm; lateral branches 10–15 (–25), ascending, comprising distal 1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm. Flowers erect, 5.5–6.5 cm; perianth greenish yellow, tube urceolate, 15–18 × 10–12 mm, limb lobes erect, equal, 17–18 mm; stamens long-exserted; filaments inserted ca. mid perianth-tube, erect, yellow, 5–6 cm; anthers yellow, 20–25 mm; ovary 2–2.5 cm, neck slightly constricted, 2–4 mm. Capsules not seen. Seeds unknown. 2n = 138, 147, 149, 150.


Phenology: Flowering winter–early spring.
Habitat: Sandy places along roadsides and in hammocks
Elevation: 0 m

Distribution

V26 944-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Fla., s Mexico

Discussion

Agave sisalana is frequently cultivated for its fiber and ornamental value. The plant is not known from the wild. As with A. desmettiana, capsules and seeds of this species are unknown. Capsules are known from A. kewensis (native to Chiapas), A. neglecta, and A. weberi, although no mature seeds have been observed. It may be that all are anciently selected cultivars that now persist only by vegetative means. None save A. kewensis is thought to occur in the wild. Plants similar to those found in Florida are known from Chiapas. Agave sisalana is an important source of fiber and probably was widely distributed by pre-Columbian people.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number. "thin" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Agave sisalana"
150 +, 149 +, 147 +  and 138 +
longitudinal +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
width +  and length +
glandular-pubescent +  and glandular +
papillate +
linear +  and oblong or deltate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
James L. Reveal +  and Wendy C. Hodgson +
Perrine +
armed +  and filiferous +
cross-zoned +  and green +
convex +, plane +  and lanceolate +
short to long +
persistent +
reflexed +, erect +  and ascending +
triangular +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
umbel-like +
fibrous-rooted +
Fla. +  and s Mexico +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
broadened +
5.5 cm55 mm <br />0.055 m <br /> (6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br />) +
loculicidal +
oblong +  and ovoid +
Sandy places along roadsides and in hammocks +
bulbiferous +  and open +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (?) +
pseudopetiolate +, sessile +  and simple +
evergreen +
90 cm900 mm <br />0.9 m <br /> (130 cm1,300 mm <br />1.3 m <br />) +
9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
dentate +, serrulate +  and entire +
constricted +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +
cylindrical +, ovoid +  and 3-angled +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +  and 2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (?) +
succulent +
not +  and articulate +
umbel-like +
greenish yellow +
semisucculent +
Flowering winter–early spring. +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
not cespitose +
500 cm5,000 mm <br />5 m <br /> (600 cm6,000 mm <br />6 m <br />) +
globose +, obovoid +  and flattened +
Introduced +
semiwoody +
long-exserted +
branched +, , +  and unbranched +
aboveground +
3 +  and 1 +
papillate +
exserted +  and included +
subulate +
Agave sisalana +
species +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br />) +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
urceolate +
10mm;12mm +
plant +  and suckering +
polycarpic +  and monocarpic +
small;gigantic +
petal-like +