Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009 3.T.1.

3 Terrestrial Species - Plants Century Plant

Rev: 19 March 2012

KRISTAN D GODBEER

TERRESTRIAL SPECIES Century Plant / Agave / Corato Agave caymanensis Proctor Taxonomy and Range Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Magnoliophyta, Class: Liliopsida, Order: Asparagales, Family: Agavaceae Genus: Agave, Species: caymanensis Agave is a genus of about 300 species, distributed from the southern United States to tropical South America (Proctor 2009). The Century Plant Agave caymanensis is endemic to the three Cayman Islands. Status Distribution: Species endemic to the Cayman Islands. Conservation: Vulnerable VU A2c+3c+4 (The Red List, Burton 2008a). Legal: Century Plant Agave caymanensis has no legal protection. It not currently listed in the Schedules of the National Conservation Law (Jan, 2009).
For Reference and Acknowledgement: Cottam, M., Olynik, J., Blumenthal, J., Godbeer, K.D., Gibb, J., Bothwell, J., Burton, F.J., Bradley, P.E., Band, A., Austin, T., Bush, P., Johnson, B.J., Hurlston, L., Bishop, L., McCoy, C., Parsons, G., Kirkconnell, J., Halford, S. and Ebanks-Petrie, G. (2009). Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009. Cayman Islands Government. Department of Environment. Final Formatting and production by John Binns, International Reptile Conservation Foundation.

Section: 3.T.1.3 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Century Plant Page: 1

Natural History Like all agaves, the Century Plant Agave caymanensis flowers only once during its lifetime. The single, spectacular flower spikes emerge synchronously, around March each year, reaching a height of 6m or more. Each produces masses of yellow-orange flowers, and miniature clones of the parent plant. After this, the parent plant dies, and dries up. Century Plant is a typical, and occasionally dominant, plant of the exposed and rocky dry shrubland of the Cayman Islands. One of our most impressive and unique plants, an image of the Century Plant graces the cover of The Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands: The Red List (Burton 2008a). Associated Habitats and Species for Century Plant ASSOCIATED HABITAT PLANS 2.T.3 Dry Shrubland Current Factors Affecting Century Plant Habitat loss: the dry shrubland habitat of Agave caymanensis is generally rocky and elevated, facilitating easy clearance and development. Regeneration: slow growth, long generation time, and single lifetime flowering make Agave caymanensis slow to recover and susceptible to habitat perturbation and population fragmentation. Fire: Agave caymanensis is very susceptible to fire damage. The dead basal leaves burn readily, and flames quickly kill the living core of the plant. Protected areas: the dry shrubland habitat of Agave caymanensis is poorly represented within the current system of protected areas. Landscaping potential: despite its attractive and novel form, the large girth and spiky leaves of Agave caymanensis restrict landscaping suitability to large, open schemes. Given the predictable limits of size and form, however, Agave caymanensis is ideally suited to specific schemes, such as roads roundabouts and medians. Adaptation to arid environments makes Agave caymanensis especially suited to placement in schemes where irrigation is not possible. ASSOCIATED SPECIES PLANS Silver Thatch Palm Coccothrinax proctorii

Opportunities and Current Local Action for Century Plant None. SPECIES ACTION PLAN for Century Plant OBJECTIVES 1. Reverse population decline of Agave caymanensis and maintain or raise Red List status by at least one category, from vulnerable. 2. Preserve in situ populations of Agave caymanensis. 3. Develop inter-situ cultivation and conservation programme for Agave caymanensis. TARGET 2015 2015 2012

Century Plant PROPOSED ACTION Policy & Legislation PL1. Pass and implement the National Conservation Law. PL2. Implement the Endangered Species (Trade & Transport) Law. PL3. Protect Agave caymanensis under Schedule II of the National Conservation Law, through establishment of conservation regulations. PL4. Reduce the threat of a catastrophic loss of the remaining populations, through involvement with the Millennium Seedbank Project.

LEAD

PARTNERS

TARGET

MEETS OBJECTIVE 1,2,3 1,2 1,2,3 3

CIG DoE DoE DoE RBGK

DoE CIG CIG QEIIBP

2006 2006 2006 2010

Section: 3.T.1.3 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Century Plant

Page: 2

Century Plant PROPOSED ACTION PL5. Promote amendment of the Planning Law, to facilitate rapid imposition of stop-orders on illegal developments and provide a responsive and effective enforcement mechanism. PL6. Strengthen the Development Plan on Grand Cayman, incorporating a long-term vision for the environmental, social, and economic development of the Islands. PL7. Promote establishment of a Development Plan for the Sister Islands, incorporating a long-term vision for the environmental, social, and economic development of the Islands. SM1. Use Crown land protection, and the Environmental Protection Fund to establish a protected area which incorporates a significant area of dry shrubland to protect Agave caymanensis. SM2. Collect seeds under Millennium Seedbank Project protocol and bank at Kew, with replicate collection for local conservation propagation. SM3. Establish local conservation propagation programme and introduce Agave caymanensis to private gardens and landscaping schemes through the Native Tree Nursery. SM4. Implement associated HAPs. Advisory A1. Liaise with developers and National Roads Authority towards establishing Agave caymanensis as a staple in large-scale landscaping projects. A2. Promote use of native plants in landscaping, through maintenance of existing vegetation and use of Recommended Planting Palette in new developments. A3. Targeted awareness of the need for the National Conservation Law and the Endangered Species (Trade & Transport) Law. A3. REPORT: Extensive public outreach Mar-Sept 2010. Research & Monitoring RM1. Survey and map key populations of Agave caymanensis. RM2. Investigate cues for flowering, and collect seeds. RM3. Collect seed under Millennium Seedbank Project protocol, including voucher specimens and in situ habit images, and transpose into searchable electronic format, linked to Field Collections Database. RM4. Reassess IUCN Red List status of Agave caymanensis locally. CP1. Raise awareness of the unique nature of Agave caymanensis and other endemic flora and fauna.

LEAD DoP

PARTNERS DoE CIG CIG MP DoE CIG MP DoE

TARGET 2010

MEETS OBJECTIVE 1,2

DoP CPA DoP DCB

ongoing

1,2

ongoing

1,2

Safeguards & Management CC DoE RBGK QEIIBP QEIIBP DoE RBGK NT, MP DoE CIG 2010 1,2

2012

2008

1,3

SM3. REPORT: (2012) Native Tree Nursery operations temporarily suspended. Sales insufficient to cover running costs. DoE DoE NRA DoP DoE 2015 1,2,3

MP DoE CIG NT

2012 2009 2006

1,2,3 1,2,3 1,2,3

DoE DoE IntC NT QEIIBP RBGK RBGK QEIIBP

2010 2010

2 1,3

DoE DoE DoE NT QEIIBP DoE DoP NT QEIIBP

2010 2015

3 1

Communication & Publicity MP CN GC OS SB LCN MP CN GC NRA SB LCN 2008 1,2,3

CP1. REPORT: Agave caymanensis featured in Red List of Flora (Burton 2008a). CP2. Raise awareness of the value of native landscaping, and promote the use of Agave caymanensis. 2010 1,2,3

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Century Plant PROPOSED ACTION CP3. Utilise native flora and fauna, and associated preservation efforts, in the international promotion of the Cayman Islands.

LEAD CIG

PARTNERS DoE DoT NT MP QEIIBP

TARGET 2010

MEETS OBJECTIVE 1,2,3

References and Further Reading for Century Plant

Burton, F. (2007). Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands (2nd edition). International Reptile Conservation Foundation, USA. ISBN 978-1-4276-2168-9 Burton, F.J. (2008a). Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands: The Red List. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: Richmond, Surrey UK. Burton, F.J. (2008b). Vegetation Classification for the Cayman Islands. In: Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands: The Red List. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: Richmond, Surrey UK. Proctor, G.R. (1984). Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Bulletin Additional Series XI. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Her Majestys Stationary Office. London. ISBN 0-11-242548-8. Proctor, G.R. (2012) Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Publishing. 736 pp. ISBN: 9781842464038

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