Agave americana : Différence entre versions

Les feuilles procurent des fibres très tenaces employées en sparterie (CUENOD et al. 1954).

In the Americas, Africa, Asia (India to Vietnam) and S Europe frequently cultivated as hedge plant and ornamental. Used in agroforestry programs for desert regions in India. Cultivated as fibre crop on the Azores Isl. and for fibres and medicinal purposes in homegardens in SW China and India. Used for mescal (sugar-containing sap, extracted from defoliated stems shortly before flowering, then fermented and distilled) production in Mexico and for an alcoholic beverage in Martinique. The leaves are useful as laxative and diuretic and for medicine against syphilis, scrofula and cancer in India. In Peru the smoke of dried, burning leaves is inhaled to clean the respiratory tract. Leaves are reported to be used for biological pest control against leafhoppers and mosquito larvae in China. In the earlier literature about cultivation as fibre crop and for pulque production, this species might have been confused with Agave atrovirens. Gentry (1982) distinguishes several varieties: var. picta (Salm) Terrac.; var. expansa (Jacobi) Gentry; var. oaxacensis H.S. Gentry.