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The leaves contain needle-like calcium oxalate crystals, called raphides, which can cause contact dermatitis and conjunctivitis.
== Botany Description ==
Robust, perennial herb up to 9 m tall when flowering, producing suckers; stem short and thick, up to 20 cm in diameter, with a dense rosette of leaves at apex. Leaves arranged spirally, succulent, sessile, lanceolate, 1–2 m × 15–25 cm, base fleshy, triangular in cross section, apex with sharp, dark brown spine up to 5 cm long, margin wavy to toothed with teeth up to 10 mm long, pale blue-grey to green, sometimes variegated. Inflorescence a very large, terminal, rather open panicle; peduncle 2–8 m long. Flowers bisexual, regular; perianth tubular, 8–20 mm long, 6-lobed, pale yellow; stamens 6, attached above the middle of the perianth tube, 6–9 cm long; ovary inferior, 3-celled, style 1, longer than the stamens, stigma 3-lobed. Fruit an oblong capsule 4–5 cm long, shortly beaked, many-seeded. Seeds flat, disk-shaped, 7–8 mm × 5–6 mm, curved, shiny black. Seedling with epigeal germination.
== Other botanical information ==
''Agave americana'' follows the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) pathway. CAM plants are able to fix CO<sub>2</sub> at night and photosynthesize with closed stomata during the day, thus minimizing water loss. ''Agave'' comprises 100–200 species, all native to Central America and Mexico.
== Correct citation of this article ==
Oudhia, P., 2007. '''Agave americana''' L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}.