Los agaves de las Antillas

Abstract

In this paper an updated list of the 43 Caribbean taxa of Agave, plus nine taxa only know as cultivated plants is given. A comparative study of the main species is done using their most important morphological characters; this allows to separate 12 native species that are different and representative, in such a way that is possible to join the rest of the related species. Aspects of the relationships among the Caribbean species and their continental relatives are discussed. illustrative drawings, tables and a map with the distribution of the taxa are also given.