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Agave americana
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Family:
AGAVACEAE
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Citation: Agave americana L., Sp. Pl. 323. 1753; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1505(1052). 1931; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 507. 1990; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 397. 1989; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 477. 1994; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 875. 2009.
Agave cantula Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 167. 1832.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Aanakaitha, Agevu, Athirakaitha, Eroppakaitha, Kandalachedi, Panam-kattazha
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Century plant, American aloe
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Description:
Rosette of leaves to 3 m wide from a short stout stem; roots fibrous. Leaves lanceolate, rigid, grey-glaucous to light green, base sheathing, margins toothed (to 1 cm); apical spines to 4 cm, brownish. Scape to 8 m; bracts 3-angular, flower-bearing on upper third. Inflorescence of c. 25 umbellate clusters of flowers. Flower c. 8 cm long; pedicel stout. Perianth-tube 1.2 cm; lobes 3 + 3, subequal, lanceolate, to 3 cm long, cucullate at apex. Stamens 6, exserted; filaments c. 8 cm; anthers 3 cm. Ovary inferior, 3-celled; with numerous ovules in 2 rows, on axile placentae per cell; style elongate; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule oblong, to 5 x 2 cm, loculicidal, beaked; seeds flat, 6 mm wide, black.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
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District(s):
Kottayam, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragode, Malappuram, Kollam
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Cultivated along the fences
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Distribution:
Tropical America, introduced in to the Paleotropics
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Green, Yellow
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Monocotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
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