X46 A FLORA OP MANILA 



1. Inflorescence spicate or paaicled. 

 2. Coarse plants with thick, fleshy, spiny-toothed leaves and very large, 



panicled inflorescences !• Agave 



2. Slender plants with narrow, toothless leaves and spicate flowers. 



2. Polianthes 

 1. Flowers solitary or umbellate. 

 2. Filaments free. 



3. Flowers solitary. ~ 3. Zevhyranthes 



3. Flowers umbellate - • 4' Crmum 



2. Filaments appendiculate and united at the base into a distinct cup. 



3. Flowers solitary - 5. Pancrattum 



3~ Flowers umbellate. 



4 Leaves linear to linear-lanceoJate ; ovary*celIs 2-ovuled. 



6. HymenoeaUis 

 4. Leaves broadly ovate to suborbicular; oaary-cells 2- or 3-ovuled. 



7. Eurycles 

 4.. Leaves elliptic-oblong; ovary-cells many-ovuled 8. Eucharis 



1. AGAVE Linnaeus ^ 



Fleshy or somewhat woody, coarse plants, with usually very iihort stems. 

 Leaves crowded on the stem, radiate, thick, fleshy, persisting for several 

 years, sharply pointed, margins with stout spiny teeth. Inflorescence 

 terminal, tall, stout, branched. Flowers succulent, panicled, usually green- 

 ish. Sepals and petals partly united, the lobes equal or subequal-. Stamens 

 6; filaments more or less adnate to the perianth-tube. Ovary 3-celled; 

 ovules numerous. Fruit a 3-celled capsule. (Greek "noble.") 



Species about 140 in tropical America, 1 introduced in the Philippines. 



•1. A. CANTULA Roxb. Maguey (Sp.-Fil.) ; Sisal Hemp, Century Plant, 

 Stems short, stout. Leaves 20 to 50 in a dense rosette, linear-lfinceolate, 

 thick, more or less glaucous, 0.8 to 1.3 m long, up to 8 or 10 cm wide, 

 narrowed toward both ends, apex with a sharp, horny point, margins 

 with sharp spine-like teeth. Inflorescence erect, up to 6 m in height, stout, 

 branched. Flowers greenish, the perianth 4 to 5 cm long; filaments exceed- 

 ing the segments. (Fl. Filip. pi. 96, A. amerioana.) 



Cultivated in our area for ornamental purposes, in many provinces ex- 

 tensively cultivated for the fiber produced by the leaves. The plants 

 flower when several years old; bulbils are often produced in place of 

 flowers. A native of tropical America, now introduced in many other 

 tropical countries. 



2. POLIANTHES Linnaeus 



Erect, leafy, unbranched plants from tuberous rootstocks. Leaves linear, 

 basal and scattered along the stem. Inflorescence terminal, spicate, the 

 bracts persistent. Perianth with a long, narrowly funnel-shaped, curved 

 tube, and short, unequal segments. Stamens inserted at the middle of the 

 tube, not esserted. Ovary 3-celled, free at the apex ; ovules many ; style fili- 

 form. Fruit ovoid, crowned by the persistent perianth. (Greek "white" 

 and "flower.") 



A monotypic Mexican genus. 



♦ 1. P. TUBEBOSA L. Azucena (Sp.-Fil.) ; Tuberose. 



Rootstock stout, tuberous. Basal leaves linear, 40 to 60 cm long, less 

 than 1 cm wide, those on the stem much shorter. Stems erect, 0.5 to 1 



