Common Name: 
Agave
Maguey
Century Plant

Some 200 species of perennial or monocarpic (flowering once, then dying) succulents.  Stems short and stout, leaves simple, large, rigid, with a terminal spine and marginal teeth. The inflorescence is relatively tall and obvious and producing many small flowers.  The fruit is a capsule containing black seeds.

Pronunciation: 
a-GAW-vee
Family: 
Asparagaceae
Agavaceae