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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

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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

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Extirpated
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 2005:580 (KEY), 581 (DESCR); Starr & Starr 2008 (Mi, observed but no spm.); Holthuijzen 2017 (Mi†, 2008)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Agave sisalana Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range On southern edge of Agave sisalana patch surrounded by Leucaena shrubland/savanna. With Leucaena leucocephala and Cenchrus ciliaris. One large Opuntia ficus-indica seen in middle of patch. Preserved_Specimen ~1.5 m tall rosette of large, blueish-green, bladelike leaves bearing sharp mucronate tip. Large treelike flowerspike. BISH staff 73 Oahu BISH 2021-05-11
2 Agave sisalana Kohala District, Mahukona Arid Preserved_Specimen Flowering stalk 4 m. tall; leaves 1 m. long; flowers yellowish-green. Herbst, D.R. 5310 Hawaii BISH 1975-05-19
3 Agave sisalana Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range On southern edge of Agave sisalana patch surrounded by Leucaena shrubland/savanna. With Leucaena leucocephala and Cenchrus ciliaris. One large Opuntia ficus-indica seen in middle of patch. Preserved_Specimen ~1.5 m tall rosette of large, blueish-green, bladelike leaves bearing sharp mucronate tip. Large treelike flowerspike. BISH staff 73 Oahu BISH 2021-05-11
4 Agave sisalana Luamakika Offset from larger plant; escaping from fenced exclosure. Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5771 Kahoolawe BISH 1988-02-24
5 Agave sisalana Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range On southern edge of Agave sisalana patch surrounded by Leucaena shrubland/savanna. With Leucaena leucocephala and Cenchrus ciliaris. One large Opuntia ficus-indica seen in middle of patch. Preserved_Specimen ~1.5 m tall rosette of large, blueish-green, bladelike leaves bearing sharp mucronate tip. Large treelike flowerspike. BISH staff 73 Oahu BISH 2021-05-11
6 Agave sisalana Kaa, Kanepuu Preserved_Specimen Rosette of fleshy leaves, each leaf to 4 feet long. Flowering stalk about 12 feet tall. Herbst, D.R. 5791 Lanai BISH 1976-03-31
7 Agave sisalana Kohala District, Mahukona Arid Preserved_Specimen Flowering stalk 4 m. tall; leaves 1 m. long; flowers yellowish-green. Herbst, D.R. 5310 Hawaii BISH 1975-05-19
8 Agave sisalana Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Leaves & flowers from plants of same planting. Inflorescence 2.5 m tall. Flowers a blend of canary yellow, chartreuse & apple green. Lau, J. 2944 Oahu BISH 1986-11-10
9 Agave sisalana Honolulu: Wilhelmina Rise. Along 11th Ave Preserved_Specimen Egler, F.E. 3715 Oahu BISH 1937-03-24
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