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Agave sisalana

Perrine (1838)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Asparagaceae Genus: Agave

century plant, malina, sisal, sisal hemp

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Subacaulescent perennials.

Stems:

Roots: Taprooted.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, spiral rosette. Blades linear–lanceolate, nearly flat, up to 150 cm long and 10 cm wide. Apex with a dark brown, slightly recurved spine 2–2.5 cm long. Base sessile. Surfaces at first glaucous with a bluish tinge, becoming green. Margins smooth or with numerous prickles 24 mm long. Veins parallel. Sessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in bulbils usually forming in the axils of the bracteoles after flowering. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Tepals yellowish green, 4.5–6 cm long, the tube urceolate, 1.5–2 cm long. Stamens 6, usually long–exserted, inserted near throat of perianth tube. Ovary inferior, 3-celled; ovules numerous per cell; style awl–shaped; stigma capitate, 3-lobed.

Fruit: Capsules rarely developing; when present; ca. 6 cm long; apex beaked. Seeds black; obovoid; flat.

Ploidy: 2n = 138; 149; 150

Habitat: Now locally naturalized in dry; often rocky site.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Congr. Doc. 564: 87 (1838)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1348 (K, O, Mo, L, M, Ka, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:578, 580 (KEY), 581 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Agave sisalana Perrine kaa, kanepuu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN d. r. herbst & g. spence 5791 Oahu BISH 3/31/1976
2 Agave sisalana Perrine luamakika PRESERVED_SPECIMEN wagner, w.l. herbst, d.r.; hobdy, r. collector number: 5771 Maui BISH 2/24/1988
3 Agave sisalana Perrine kohala district, mahukona PRESERVED_SPECIMEN herbst, d.r. spence, g. collector number: 5310 Molokai BISH 5/19/1975
4 Agave sisalana Perrine Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lau, J. 2944 Oahu BISH 11/10/1986
5 Agave sisalana Perrine Barking Sands Pacific Missle Range Facility (West Kauai). Alt. 5-10 m. Coastal and inland sand dunes with predominantly native coastal scrubland. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN David H. Lorence 5777 Kauai PTBG 2/5/1988
6 Agave sisalana Perrine Kuamoo Ridge. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hank Oppenheimer H41106 Lanai PTBG 4/20/2011
7 Agave sisalana Perrine kohala district, mahukona. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN d. r. herbst & g. spence 5310 Hawaii US 5/19/1975
8 Agave sisalana Perrine Kohala District, Mahukona. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Herbst, D. R.; Spence, G. 5310 Hawaii US 5/19/1975
9 Agave sisalana Perrine Kaa, kanepuu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Herbst, D. R.; Spence, G. 5791 Lanai US 3/31/1976
10 Agave sisalana Perrine Kaa, Kanepuu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Herbst, D.R. 5791 Lanai BISH 3/31/1976
11 Agave sisalana Perrine Luamakika Offset from larger plant; escaping from fenced exclosure. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Wagner, W.L. 5771 Kahoolawe BISH 2/24/1988
12 Agave sisalana Perrine Honolulu: Wilhelmina Rise. Along 11th Ave PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Egler, F.E. 37-15 Oahu BISH 3/24/1937
13 Agave sisalana Perrine Kohala District, Mahukona Arid PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Herbst, D.R. 5310 Hawaii BISH 5/19/1975
14 Agave sisalana Perrine waimea arboretum & botanical garden PRESERVED_SPECIMEN lau, j. collector number: 2944 Oahu BISH 11/10/1986
15 Agave sisalana Perrine kohala district, mahukona Arid PRESERVED_SPECIMEN herbst, d.r. spence, g. collector number: 5310 Hawaii BISH 5/19/1975
16 Agave sisalana Perrine kaa, kanepuu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN herbst, d.r. spence, g. collector number: 5791 Lanai BISH 3/31/1976
17 Agave sisalana Perrine honolulu: wilhelmina rise. along 11th ave PRESERVED_SPECIMEN egler, f.e. collector number: 37-15 Oahu BISH 3/24/1937
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