| Agave virginica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
| Genus: | Agave |
| Species: | A. virginica |
| Binomial name | |
| Agave virginica | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
List
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Agave virginica,synonymManfreda virginica, commonly known as thefalse aloe,American aloe,Virginia agave,[3][4][5] andeastern agave,[6] is a species ofagave. Older references occasionally usedrattlesnake master to refer toManfreda virginica, though current usage of rattlesnake master primarily refers toEryngium yuccifolium. It is native to thecentral andsoutheasternUnited States and northeasternMexico, where it is found in prairies, upland rocky glades, and sandy open woods.
False aloe isacaulescent, meaning thestem is extremely short. Leaves and flowering stems grow from a bulbous herbaceouscaudex. The fleshy greenleaves, usually spotted or speckled with maroon, are 10–46 cm (4–18 in) long and 1–6 cm (0.5–2.25 in) across.[6] The leaf margins have fine teeth and leaves taper to a non-spiny tip.[7] Leaf shape and size inAgave virginica vary with soil type, amount of shade, length of cold period, and position of leaf in the rosette. Speckles and spots occur frequently on some leaves in most populations, and some authors have used the informal designation "forma tigrina" for such variants.[8]
In early summer, leafless flower stalks emerge from the basal rosettes of leaves, growing rapidly up to 2.1 m (7 ft) tall. The inflorescence appears June to August, with 10–61 closely spaced flowers grouped in a spike that is about 15–61 cm (6–24 in) long. Each flower, 2–3 cm (0.75–1.25 in) long, is whitish green or yellowish green, essentially tubular, nearly erect, and slender, with a fragrant sweet fruity odor.[7][6] Seed capsules are spherical and 1–1.7 cm (0.4–0.7 in) in diameter.[5]
It is native to an area stretching fromNorth Carolina west toTexas and north toIllinois in the United States and south toNuevo León andTamaulipas in Mexico.[3] Its habitat is sunny, well-drained areas in prairies, upland rocky glades, and sandy open woods.[7] It is the onlyAgave species north of Texas.
Agave virginica is adapted primarily to nocturnal pollination by medium-sized moths and largersphinx moths. Diurnal pollination by largebees results in significantly less seed set than nocturnal and open pollination.Ruby-throated hummingbirds are also attracted to the blooms.[9]
