Agave young flower stalk. Agave nectar (also called agave syrup), a sweetener derived from the sap, is used as an alternative to sugar in cooking, and can be added to breakfast cereals as a binding agent. The sap of "A. americana" and other species is used in Mexico and Mesoamerica to produce "pulque", an alcoholic beverage. The flower shoot is cut out and the sap collected and subsequently fermented. By distillation, a spirit called "mezcal" is prepared; one of the best-known forms of mezcal is tequila. When dried and cut in slices, the flowering stem forms natural razor strops, and the
Agave margaritae Agave margaritae Agave margaritae is a species of plant from the Agave genus. Its common name in English is "Magdalena Island Agave". The plant is endemic to Baja California Sur state in northwestern Mexico. It is only found on Magdelena Island (type locality) and Isla Santa Margarita in the Gulf of California. It is associated with "Echinocereus barthelowanus". "Agave margaritae" consists small rosettes, that are formed in sparse offshoorts. Its pointed leaves have oval to wide lancets and are thick, fleshy, variably arranged, bright-yellow/green colored, 10 to 25 cm long and 7 to 10 cm wide. The leaf edges are