AGAVACEAE

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1980, Flora Europaea. Volume 5. Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 74

CLXXXIV. AGAVACEAE 2

Trees, shrubs orlarge, scaposeherbs; leaves ensiform, coriaceous, very fibrous, mostly aggregated into dense rosettes. Inflorescence a large terminal panicle; flowers hermaphrodite, regular. Perianth-segments 6, petaloid, free or connate at base. Stamens 6. Ovary superior or inferior, 3-locular. Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely indéhiscent and more or less succulent; seeds numerous.

A family founded primarily on cytological and anatomical characters, and almost impossible to define in morphological terms; the description above is applicable only to the genera naturalized in Europe. These agree to someextent in habit, but most authors include in the family herbaceous genera such as Polianthes , in which the leaves are neither large nor coriaceous.

1 Leaves spinose-dentate; flowerserect; stamensexserted 1. Agave

1 Leaves entire; flowersnodding; stamensincluded

2 Ovary inferior; anthers large, versatile, welldifferentiated

from filament 2. Furcraea

2 Ovary superior; antherssmall, scarcelydifferentiatedfrom filament 3. Yucca