''Furcraea niquivilensis'' is a plant species native to

Chiapas Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises Municipalities of Chiapas, 124 municipalities and its capital and large ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. ''Furcraea niquivilensis''is a monocarpic shrub with a trunk up to 3 m tall, 40 cm in diameter. It produces a rosette of up to 150 leaves. Each leaf is lanceolate to sword-shaped, up to 210 cm long, 14 cm across, armed with sharp curved prickles up to 8 mm long along the margins. Flowering stalks can reach a height of 9 m, bearing a large panicle of greenish-white flowers.García-Mendoza, Abisaí Josué. 1999. Una especie nueva de ''Furcraea'' (Agavaceae) de Chiapas, México. Novon 9:42-45.
/ref>photo of paratype of ''Furcraea niquivilensis''at Missouri Botanical Garden
/ref>

Uses

The people who live in the area where the species grows plant it to control erosion. They also use the fibers in making ropes and baskets. Other members of the same genus, called

fique Fique is a natural fibre that grows in the leaves of plants in the genus '' Furcraea''. Common names include fique, cabuya, pita, penca, penco, maguey, cabui, chuchao and coquiza. History The Indigenous peoples of the Americas extracted and use ...

, are used in South America in similar fashion.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1474898 niquivilensis Endemic flora of Mexico Flora of Chiapas Fiber plants