Mauritius Hemp

Specimens from Florida referred to in the literature as Furcraea cabuya Trelease with entire leaf margins (var. integra Trelease) probably belong here.

Stem short; ± 1 m. Leaves large up to 156 x 7-9 cm, crowded, broadly oblanceolate, almost flat, undulate, somewhat roughened beneath, entire. Inflorescence large, paniculate, scape c. 6-12 m. Flowers pale yellow to green-white, fragrant, tubular, perianth segments 6, spreading; stamens included, filaments short, thick below.

Leaves lanceolate, to 2.4 m × 20 cm, thick, firm, smooth or striate; margins hard and smooth, usually entire at least in distal half. Flowers 4–5 cm; tepals greenish white, 2.3–3 cm; ovary 1.2–1.5 cm. 2n = 60.

Distribution: Tropical America.

introduced; Fla.; Central America; West Indies; widely introduced elsewhere.

Flowering fall--mid winter.

Old homesteads in disturbed areas; 0m.

Agave foetida Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 323. 1753; Furcraea gigantea Ventenat