I am giving the following details from Factsheet <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/Agave_americana_(Century_Plant).htm> :
*Agave americana* may be easily confused with the sisals (*Agave sisalana* and *Agave angustifolia*) and the false agaves (*Furcraea foetida* and *Furcraea selloa*). These species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> can be distinguished by the following differences: - *A. americana* has very large greyish or variegated <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#variegated> leaves that are usually 1-2 m long on adult plants. These leaves have numerous, relatively large prickles <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#prickles> (5-10 mm long) along their margins. Its flowers are borne in an upright position and are yellow or yellowish-green in colour. This species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> produces large capsules <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#capsules> and usually doesn't develop plantlets <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#plantlets> (bulbils <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#bulbils>) on the branches of its flower clusters. - *A. sisalana* (sisal) has relatively large dark green or greyish-green leaves that are usually 0.5-1.3 m long on adult plants. These leaves do not have any prickles <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#prickles> on their margins. Its flowers are borne in an upright position and are yellow or yellowish-green in colour. This species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> usually doesn't produce capsules <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#capsules>, instead developing numerous plantlets <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#plantlets> (bulbils <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#bulbils>) on the branches of its flower clusters. - *A. angustifolia* (Caribbean agave) has relatively large green, greyish-green or variegated <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#variegated> leaves that are usually 0.5-1 m long on adult plants. These leaves have many, relatively small prickles <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#prickles> (2-5 mm long) along their margins. Its flowers are borne in an upright position and are yellow or yellowish-green in colour. This species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> produces large capsules <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#capsules> and sometimes also develops plantlets <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#plantlets> (bulbils <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#bulbils>) on the branches of its flower clusters. - *F. foetida* (Cuban hemp) has very large pale green leaves that are usually 1-2 m long on adult plants. These leaves usually have some prickles <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#prickles> along their margins, but mainly near the bases of the leaves. Its flowers are borne in a drooping position and are whitish or greenish-white in colour. This species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> doesn't produce capsules <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#capsules>, instead developing numerous plantlets <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#plantlets> (bulbils <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#bulbils>) on the branches of its flower clusters. - *F. selloa* (variegated <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#variegated> false agave) has very large variegated <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#variegated> leaves that are usually 1-2 m long on adult plants. These leaves have numerous relatively large prickles <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#prickles> (7-8 mm long) along their margins. Its flowers are borne in a drooping position and are whitish or greenish-white in colour. This species <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#species> doesn't produce capsules <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#capsules>, instead developing numerous plantlets <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#plantlets> (bulbils <http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/glossary.htm#bulbils>) on the branches of its flower clusters. -- Pl. review your postings in view of these differences. ---- With regards, J.M.Garg 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1> Winner of Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards 2014 for efloraofindia <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/award-for-efloraofindia>. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/indiantreepix> (largest in the world- around 2700 members & 2,40,000 messages on 31.3.16) or Efloraofindia website <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/> (with a species database of more than 11,000 species & 2,20,000 images). The whole world uses my Image Resource <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg> of more than a thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise). You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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