Agave

In other regions, it goes by different names. In the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages, it is referred to as the compound word dragon tongue orchid (; ; ). In Malta, it is referred to as Sabbara; In Maltese, Agave americana is referred to as "Sabbara tal-Amerika", and Agave sisalana is referred to as "Sabbara ta' Sisal". == Description ==

'', San Francisco Botanical Garden The succulent leaves of most Agave species have sharp marginal teeth, an extremely sharp terminal spine, and are very fibrous inside. The stout stem is usually extremely short, which may make the plant appear as though it is stemless. Agave rosettes are mostly monocarpic, though some species are polycarpic. During flowering, a tall stem or "mast" ("quiote" in Mexico), which can grow to be high, and Agave salmiana can be significantly taller. The panicle grows apically from the center of the rosette and bears a large number of short, tubular flowers and sometimes vegetatively produced bulbils (a form of asexual reproduction). After pollination/fertilization and subsequent fruit development, in monocarpic species, the original rosette dies. However, throughout the lifetime of many Agave species, rhizomatous suckers develop above the roots at the base of the rosette. These suckers go on to form new plants after the original rosette desiccates and dies. Not all agaves produce suckers throughout their lifetimes; some species rarely or never produce suckers, while others may only develop suckers after final maturation with inflorescence. Some varieties can live for 60 years before flowering. mast before, during, and after flowering, Cabrillo National Monument Agaves can be confused with cacti, aloes, or stonecrops, but although these plants all share similar morphological adaptations to arid environments (e.g. succulence), each group belongs to a different plant family and probably experienced convergent evolution. Further, cactus (Cactaceae) and stonecrop (Crassulaceae) lineages are eudicots, while aloes (Asphodelaceae) and agaves (Asparagaceae) are monocots. Adaptations The agave root system, consisting of a network of shallow rhizomes, allows the agave to efficiently capture moisture from rain, condensation, and dew. In addition to growing from seeds, most agaves produce 'pups' – young plants from runners. Agave vilmoriniana (the octopus agave) produces hundreds of pups on its bloom stalk. Agave leaves store the plant's water and are crucial to its continued existence. The coated leaf surface prevents evaporation. The leaves also have sharp, spiked edges. The spikes discourage predators from eating the plant or using it as a source of water and are so tough that ancient peoples used them for sewing needles. The sap is acidic. Some agaves bloom at a height up to so that they are far out of reach to animals that might attack them. Smaller species, such as Agave lechuguilla, have smaller bloom stalks. ==Taxonomy==

The genus name Agave come from the Ancient Greek from agauós meaning "illustrious, noble" The genus Agave was erected by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, initially with four species. The first listed was Agave americana, now the type species. Agaves and close relatives have long presented significant taxonomic difficulty. These difficulties could be due to the relatively young evolutionary age of the group (major diversification events of the group most likely occurred 8–10 million years ago), ease of hybridization between species (and even genera), incomplete lineage sorting, and long generation times. A. angustifolia, A. attenuata, A. murpheyi, A. palmeri, A. parryi, A. parviflora, A. tequilana, A. victoriae-reginae, and A. vilmoriniana. region of South Africa: the inflorescences of the plants are clearly visible. A. americana One of the most familiar species is A. americana, a native of tropical America. Common names include century plant, maguey (in Mexico), or American aloe (though not related to the genus Aloe). The name "century plant" refers to the long time the plant takes to flower. The number of years before flowering occurs depends on the vigor of the individual plant, the richness of the soil, and the climate; during these years, the plant is storing in its fleshy leaves the nourishment required for the effort of flowering. A. americana, century plant, was introduced into southern Europe about the middle of the 16th century and is now naturalized as well as widely cultivated as an ornamental, as it is in the Americas. In the variegated forms, the leaf has a white or yellow marginal or central stripe. As the leaves unfold from the center of the rosette, the impression of the marginal spines is conspicuous on the still erect younger leaves. The plant is reported being hardy to −9.5 to −6.5 °C or Zone 8b 15-20f. Being succulents, they tend to rot if kept too wet. In areas such as America's Pacific Northwest, they might be hardy for cold winter temperatures, but need protection from winter rain. They mature very slowly and die after flowering but are easily propagated by the offsets from the base of the stem. A. americana (a blue variety) occurs in abundance in the Karoo, and arid highland regions of South Africa. Introduced by the British settlers in 1820, the plant was originally cultivated and used as emergency feed for livestock. Today, it is used mainly for the production of syrup and sugar. A. attenuata A. attenuata is a native of central Mexico and is uncommon in its natural habitat. Unlike most species of agave, A. attenuata has a curved flower spike from which it derives one of its numerous common names – the foxtail agave. It is also commonly grown as a garden plant. Unlike many agaves, A. attenuata has no teeth or terminal spines, making it an ideal plant for areas adjacent to footpaths. Like all agaves, it is a succulent and requires little water or maintenance once established. A. tequilana Agave azul (blue agave) is used in the production of tequila. It is native to the Caribbean as well as many regions of Mexico like Colima, Nayarit, Jalisco and more. In 2001, the Mexican government and European Union agreed upon the classification of tequila and its categories. All 100% blue agave tequila must be made from the A. tequilana 'Weber's Blue' agave plant, to rigorous specifications and only in the state of Jalisco. Blue agave is significantly different from other types of agave because it is higher in fructose and much sweeter compared to the rest. It is also the primary source for agave syrup, a nectary sweetener made for consumption. == Ecology ==

Agave species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including Batrachedra striolata, which has been recorded on A. shawii. == Toxicity ==

Some species contain components in their juice which can cause dermatitis for some people. == Uses ==

)'' , 1917 The ethnobotany of the agave was described by William H. Prescott in 1843: But the miracle of nature was the great Mexican aloe, or maguey, whose clustering pyramids of flowers, towering above their dark coronals of leaves, were seen sprinkled over many a broad acre of the table-land. As we have already noticed its bruised leaves afforded a paste from which paper was manufactured, its juice was fermented into an intoxicating beverage, pulque, of which the natives, to this day, are extremely fond; its leaves further supplied an impenetrable thatch for the more humble dwellings; thread, of which coarse stuffs were made, and strong cords, were drawn from its tough and twisted fibers; pins and needles were made from the thorns at the extremity of its leaves; and the root, when properly cooked, was converted into a palatable and nutritious food. The agave, in short, was meat, drink, clothing, and writing materials for the Aztec! Surely, never did Nature enclose in so compact a form so many of the elements of human comfort and civilization! The four major edible parts of the agave are the flowers, the leaves, the stalks or basal rosettes, and the sap (in Spanish: aguamiel, meaning "honey water"). In southern California and the Baja California Peninsula, the roasted hearts of A. shawii and A. deserti were historically among the most important foods for the Cahuilla, Kumeyaay, Kiliwa, and Paipai peoples, leaving ubiquitous archeological evidence in the form of agave-roasting pits throughout the region. Extracts from agave leaves are under preliminary research for their potential use as food additives. Agave contains fructooligosaccharides, which are naturally occurring oligosaccharides that support safely subjecting peanut-allergic people to allergen immunotherapy. Resulting from its natural habitat in stressful environments, agave is under preliminary research for its potential use in germplasm conservation and in biotechnology to better anticipate the economic effects of global climate change. ==Gallery of species and cultivars==

File:Agave americana4.jpg|Agave americana var. americana File:Variegated Century Plant -- Agave americana 'Marginata'.jpg|Variegated Century Plant -- Agave americana 'Marginata' File:Agave americana74.jpg|Agave americana 'Marginata' File:Agave americana 'Medio-Picta' Plant 3264px.jpg|Agave americana cv. 'Mediopicta Alba' File:Agaveespinho2.jpg|Agave angustifolia 'Marginata' File:Caribbean Agave (Agave angustifolia) with inflorescence at Secunderabad, AP W IMG 6676.jpg|Agave angustifolia (flowering) File:Agave attenuata Pot 2250px.jpg|Agave attenuata File:Agave bracteosa.jpg|Agave bracteosa (spider agave) File:Agave deserti form.jpg|Agave deserti File:Agave filifera01.jpg|Agave filifera File:Agave inaequidens ssp barrancensis.jpg|Agave inaequidens ssp. barrancensis File:Agave lechuguilla0.jpg|Agave lechuguilla File:Agaveespinho1.jpg|Agave lophantha File:Agave palmeri.jpg|Agave palmeri File:Agave parrasana.jpg|Agave parrasana (syn. Agave wislizeni subsp. parrasana) File:California Cabbage Agave.jpg|Agave parryi File:Agave potatorum Kichiokan.jpg|Agave potatorum cv. 'Kichiokan' File:Agave.potatorum.kewgardens.london.arp.jpg|Agave salmiana File:Agave ferox 3.jpg|Agave salmiana var. ferox File:Agave schidigera Durango Delight.jpg|Agave schidigera cv. 'Durango Delight' File:Agave shawii 1.jpg|Agave shawii File:Plantsisal.jpg|Agave sisalana (sisal) File:Agave sisalana W IMG 2377.jpg|Agave sisalana (flowers) File:Agave stricta Monaco.jpg|Agave stricta File:Agave tequilana F.A.C. Weber 2013 cropped.jpg|Agave tequilana File:Agave tequilana0.jpg|Agave tequilana 'Weber's Azul' (tequila agave) File:Agave utahensis leaves.jpg|Agave utahensis File:Agave victoriae-reginae lv 2.jpg|Agave victoriae-reginae File:Agave vilmoriniana 2.jpg|Agave vilmoriniana File:Agave xylonacantha 1.jpg|Agave xylonacantha File:Agave dussiana.jpg|Agave dussiana ==Notes==