Agave eggersiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Agavoideae
Genus: Agave
Species:
A. eggersiana
Binomial name
Agave eggersiana

Agave eggersiana, or Eggers' century plant,[1] is an endangered species of spiky plant which grows in the Virgin Islands, in dry, exposed areas. Agave eggersiana is a perennial herb known in the wild only from the island of St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USFWS 1998a).[2] A small number of plants remain on private land and are threatened by tourist development (USFWS 1998b). Other threats include feral pigs and goats on National Park Service land (USFWS 1998b). Research needs include distribution and abundance, general biology and ecology (USFWS 1998a). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests that any interested parties (concerned government agencies, the scientific community and/or industry) submit data or suggestions concerning this species (USFWS 1998b). The plant is being cultivated at the St. George Village Botanical Garden in St. Croix U.S.V.I.(USFWS 1998a) and at Fairchild Botanical Gardens in south Florida.

Agave eggersiana has flowering stalks up to 7 m (23 feet) in height and has large, yellow tubular flowers that produce flattened black seeds (USFWS 1998a).[3]

References

  1. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Agave eggersiana". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  2. Missouri Botanical Garden, Center for Plant Conservation, National Collection of Plant Profile Archived February 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Trelease, William. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences 11: 28, pl. 31–33. 1913.


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