Stems short, thick. Leaves usually 200--250, in a basal rosette before inflorescence develops, glaucous when young, later dark blue-green, ensiform, straight, usually 1--1.5 m × 10--15 cm, fleshy, adaxially concave, abaxially convex, margin not spiny or rarely spiny, apex straight and tipped with a red-brown spine 2--3 cm. Panicle to 6 m, stout, usually bearing bulblets after anthesis. Flowers with a strong smell; pedicel 5--10 mm. Perianth yellowish green; tube 1.5--2.5 cm; lobes obovate-oblanceolate, 1.2--2 × 0.6--0.8 cm. Stamens inserted at base of perianth lobes; filament yellow, 6--8 cm; anther ca. 2.5 cm. Ovary oblong, ca. 3 cm. Style slender, 6--7 cm; stigma slightly capitate. Capsule oblong, ca. 6 × 2--2.5 cm.
Plants short-stemmed, commonly suckering with elongate rhizomes, trunks 0.4–1 m; rosettes not cespitose, 15–20 × 15–25 dm. Leaves spreading, 90–130 × 9–12 cm; blade green, slightly cross-zoned when immature, lanceolate, firm, adaxially plane, abaxially slightly convex; margins straight, finely fibrous, typically unarmed, teeth single prickles when present, 1–2 mm, 2–5+ cm apart; apical spine dark brown, subulate, 2–2.5 cm. Scape 5–6 m. Inflorescences paniculate, open, often bulbiferous; bracts persistent, triangular, 0.5–2 cm; lateral branches 10–15(–25), ascending, comprising distal 1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm. Flowers erect, 5.5–6.5 cm; perianth greenish yellow, tube urceolate, 15–18 × 10–12 mm, limb lobes erect, equal, 17–18 mm; stamens long-exserted; filaments inserted ca. mid perianth tube, erect, yellow, 5–6 cm; anthers yellow, 20–25 mm; ovary 2–2.5 cm, neck slightly constricted, 2–4 mm. Capsules not seen. Seeds unknown. 2n = 138, 147, 149, 150.
Stem short, covered by leaf bases. Leaves 1-2 m long, c. 8 cm wide, widest about the middle, erect, neck not sharply constricted, greyish green, often glabrous, channelled to about 2/3rd its length, the basal 1/3rd flat above, marginal spines lacking. Inflorescence a large panicle. Flowers arranged on the terminal portion in dense clusters, sessile, 4-5 cm long. Perianth segments six, spreading, equalling the ovary segment. Stamens 6, filaments longer than the perianth segment, 3-4 cm long anthers versatile. Style exserted, stigma 3-lobed.
| Name | Language | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sisal |
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