Agave braceana

Agave braceana Trel.  

Family: Asparagaceae

Habit: Agave braceana grows as an acaulescent, semi succulent shrub.  The leaves are arranged in a basal rosette producing new leaves from the center every year.  The leaves are purplish green, up to 1.5 meter in length and 25 cm in width, flat and widest above the middle. The leaf apex is modified into a stout, brownish leaf apical slightly curved spine and the leaf margin has prickles 7-10 mm apart. It does not produce bulbs at the base.

The complete, prefect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in a terminal panicle to 5 meters in height.  The calyx has 3 unfused green sepals.  The corolla has 3 yellow, unfused petals.  There are 6 unfused stamens.  The superior ovary has 3 locules and numerous seeds.  The fruit is a light brown capsule at maturity.  The plant uses the entire apical meristem during flowering and will die off after the fruits become mature.

Habitat: Agave braceana grows in a sand or limestone substrate in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Shrublands, Dunes, and Pine Woodlands.

Distribution:  Agave braceana is an endemic species known to occur in the central and northern island groupings in the Lucayan Archipelago.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Agave braceana is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.