Agave americana

• Botanical Name : Agave americana L.
• Common Name : Ketki, Vilayati Kumvar, Century Plant
• Plant Family : Agavaceae
• Plant Form : Succulents
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 6, 10, 12, 20 - 23, 25, 27 - 30
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra

About Agave americana Plant :

• Habit : A large, perennial herb.
• Leaves : Radical in a massive rosette, long, broad, thick, heavy, prickly at the margins, sharp - pointed.
• Flowers :
  • Flowers only once during life, at any time after many years, 3 - 6m tall scape. With large scape, with large bracts, yellowish - green, borne erect on many horizontal branches.
  • Some flowers are modified into flower - bulbils.
  • Perianth funnel - like with short tube, segments 6.
  • stamens 6, filaments exserted, anthers versatile.
  • ovary inferior 3 - celled, ovules many, stigma 3 - lobed.
• Fruits : Diplotezia oblong.
• Flowering and Fruiting time : January - June
• Significance :
  • Fibres are obtained from the leaves.
  • Leaves are used as a fodder during scarcity.