Scientific Name: Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw.

Synonyms: Agave bulbosa W.Bull, Aloe foetida (L.) Crantz

Unique ID: 188

Systematic Position

Class: Monocotyledonae

Sub Class: –                  

Series: –

Order: Asparagales

Family: Liliaceae

Common Names

English – Mauritius Hemp

Tamil – Pachai Kathazhai

Description: Furcraea foetida is an evergreen perennial subshrub, stemless or with a short stem up to 1 m tall. The leaves are sword-shaped, 1-1.8 m long and 10–15 cm broad at their widest point, narrowing to 6–7 cm broad at the leaf base, and to a sharp spine tip at the apex; the margins are entire or with a few hooked spines. The flowers are greenish to creamy white, 4 cm long, and strongly scented; they are produced on a large inflorescence up to 7.5 m tall.

Habitat: It is widely cultivated and reportedly naturalized in many places 

Distribution:  native to the Caribbean and northern South America

Uses:  Ornamental