Agave is a genus of plants of the family Amaryllidaceae which includes the daffodil and narcissus. They are popularly known as American aloes and formerly called the century plant from the mistaken belief that it lives a hundred years before flowering, then flowers and dies. They are generally large, and have a massive tuft of fleshy leaves with a spiny apex. They live for many years - ten to seventy according to treatment - before flowering. When this takes place the tall flowering stem springs from the centre of the tuft of leaves, and grows very rapidly until it reaches a height of 15, 20, or even 40 feet, bearing towards the end a large number of flowers; then the plant apparently dies down to the ground but a lateral bud springs from the underground part of the stem and a new plant is formed. The best-known species is Agave americdna (common American aloe), introduced into Europe 1561, and now extensively grown in the warmer parts of this continent as well as in Asia (India in particular). This and other species yield various important products. The Mexicans grew the plant to form dense hedges, and removed the buds for the sugary sap which exudes from the wounds thus made. The sap was collected and fermented and distilled to form pulque, a drink resembling cider. The leaves are used for feeding cattle; the fibres of the leaves (called pita, sisal hemp, or henequen} are formed into thread, cord, and ropes; an extract from the leaves is used as a substitute for soap; slices of the withered flower-stem are used as razor-strops. Research Agave
Amaryllidaceae is a family of monocotyledonous plants which are generally bulbous occasionally with a tall, cylindrical, woody stem (as in Agave); with a highly coloured flower, six stamens and an inferior three-celled ovary. They are native to Europe and most other warm parts of the world.
The order includes the snowdrop, the snow-flake, the daffodil, the belladonna-lily (belonging to the typical genus Amaryllis), the so-called Guernsey-lily (probably a native of Japan), the Brunsvigias, the blood-flowers (Haemanthus) of South Africa, different species of Narcissus, Agave (American aloe), etc. Many are highly prized in gardens and hothouses; the bulbs - of some are strongly poisonous. Research Amaryllidaceae
Crinum is a genus of bulbous plants belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae. The crinum have strap-shaped leaves and flowers are borne in umbels, and are mostly fragrant and brightly coloured. There are numerous species found in Asia, Australia, South America, and certain parts of Africa, and interesting hybrids have been produced by European gardeners. The Crinum asiaticum has a bulb above ground, which is a powerful emetic, and is used by the natives to produce vomiting after poison has been taken. Research Crinum
The Guernsey Lily (Nerine Sarniensis) is a beautiful plant with purple red flowers and native to South Africa. It is of the family Amaryllidaceae. It is called the Guernsey Lily because some of its bulbs were washed ashore in Guernsey from a ship wreck and took root. Research Guernsey Lily
The narcissus is a genus of hardy bulbous plants, belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae. They have linear or strap-shaped leaves and usually beautiful flowers, either white or yellow, the perianth tubular below and its segments spreading above, the mouth of the perianth-tube being surmounted by a corona. Research Narcissus
Nerine is a genus of South African bulbous plants belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae. They bear wide, loriform leaves, and umbels of gaily-coloured flowers. Research Nerine
The Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) is a bulbous herb of the natural order Amaryllidaceae native to Mexico. It has narrow lance-shaped leaves, and a tall flower stem ending in a spray of many creamy-white, funnel-shaped, highly fragrant flowers. Research Tuberose
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Agave
