DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



53 



Agave 



A species of Agave Avhich Las not yet been identified was found in many portions 

 of southern Florida. Fine specimens of the leaves have been sent from the Indian 

 River region by Mr. McCarthy, who states that the plant is common in that section. 

 I have myself seen it growing at Jupiter, at Lake Worth, and at other points on the 

 mainland to the southward as far as the Perrine grant, but do not recall a specimen 

 on any of the keys. The mature leaves measure 5 feet or more in length, 8 to 10 

 inches in breadth, and will weigh 8 pounds or more. The serrations on the edges 

 are very fine and close set, the terminal spine being present. The color of the leaf 

 is a light bluish green. (See fig. 18). 



Fig. 1, PI. Ill, shows several young plants of this species found on Addison's place, 

 Perrine grant, in southern Florida. 



A quantity of small leaves of this species were run through the machine at Cocoa- 

 nut Grove, but owing to the thickness of the butts it was necessary to split each 



Fig. 17.— The Van Buren machine, used in the experiments of the Department in Florida. 



leaf info four pieces acd crush the butts with a mallet. The fiber is similar to that 

 of A. amerlcana in every respect, crinkly, elastic, and very white. A sufficient 

 quantity of the fiber was secured for exhition purposes, but not enough for test in 

 manufacture. See The Agaves of the United States, by A. Isabel Mulford, St. Louis, 

 1896, and Rept. No. 5, Fib. Inv. series, p. 38. 



* Sjiecimens. — Field Col. Mus. ; Mus. U. S. Dept. Ag. 



Agbari-ettu (Afr.). See Alafia. 



Aguaje (Peru). See Mauritia flexuosa. 



Agust, Agusta, Agasti. East Indian names of Sesbania grandiflora. 



Agotai (Phil. Is.). See Musa textilis. 



Akaroa (New Zea.). Flagianthus betulinus. 



