Any of several species of
Agave, such as the
century plant (
Agave Americana), a plant requiring many years to come to maturity and blossoming only once before dying; and the
Agave atrovirens, a Mexican plant used especially for making
pulque, the source of the colorless Mexican liquor
mescal; and the
cantala (
Agave cantala), a Philippine plant yielding a hard fibre used in making coarse twine. See
Agave. [
1913 Webster]