Agave cacozela

Agave cacozela Trel.

Family: Asparagaceae

Habit: Agave cacozela 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 green, up to 1-2 meters in length and 20 cm in width, slightly plicate. The leaf apex is modified into a stout, brown turning gray grooved spine. Leaf apical spine not recurved, and the leaf margin is green with curved prickles 1-2 cm apart.  It does not produce pups at the base.

The complete, perfect, 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 cacozela grows along the edges of Fresh Water Wetlands on a limestone substrate in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Shrublands and Pine Woodlands.

Distribution:  Agave cacozela is a double island endemic species known to occur in the on New Providence and Eleuthera.

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

Agave cacozela is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an Endangered species.