Agave (Supplement)
Upwards of 120 species have been described, but, according to Bentham and Hooker, not more than fifty are sufficiently distinct to rank as such; they are distributed over South America, Mexico, and the Southern United States. To those described on pp. 38-42, Vol. I., the following should now be added:
A. Alibertii (Alibert's). fl. 1in. long, on short pedicels; perianth tube greenish, funnel-shaped, the segments short, lanceolate-deltoid; peduncle (including the lax, simple raceme) 4ft. to 5ft. high. l., produced ones ten to twelve, lanceolate, denticulate, forming a rosette. Native country unknown. 1877. SYN. Alibertia intermedia.
A. Baxteri (Baxter's). fl. disposed in a thyrsoid, loose panicle 4ft. to 5ft. long; perianth tube yellow, 1/2in. long, dilated at the middle; filaments 3/4in. to 1in. long; anthers linear, 1/2in. long; ovary cylindrical-trigonous, 1in. long; peduncle 4ft. to 5ft. long before the flowers appear. March. l. about thirty in a dense, sessile rosette, oblanceolate, about 1ft. long, and 3in. across at the widest part, the tip pungent, brown, shortly decurrent, the marginal spines spreading, hooked, deltoid-cuspidate, brown, about 1/8in. long. Mexico (?).
A. bracteosa (bracted). fl. in pairs, forming a dense spike; perianth segments about 1/2in. long, the ovary slightly longer; stamens about 2in. long; stem 3ft. high, the flowerless part densely covered with spreading or recurved bracts 5in. to 6in. long. l. ten to fifteen, broadly linear-attenuate, 1 1/2ft. to 1 3/4ft. long, 1 1/2in. broad at base, the margins minutely serrulated. Monterey, Mexico, 1883. (G. C. n. s., xviii., p. 776.)
A. Henriquesii (Henriques'). fl., perianth segments tinged dark brown, lanceolate, 1in. long; style purplish-brown; panicle spike-like; peduncle, including the inflorescence, 12ft. to 14ft. long. l. in a dense rosette, oblong-lanceolate, bright green, margined with dark brown, 2ft. long, 5in. broad, narrowed to the base and to the pungent apex, armed with spreading prickles. Mexico (?), 1887. (G. C. ser. iii., vol. ii., p. 307.) SYN. Littaea Henriquesii.
A. Morrisii (Morris'). fl., perianth bright yellow, 2in. to 2 1/2in. long; stamens nearly twice as long as the segments; panicle thyrsoid, the main branches 1 1/2ft. long; peduncle, including the inflorescence, 15ft. to 20ft. long. l. twenty or more in a dense rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 6ft. to 7ft. long, nearly 1ft. broad, gradually narrowed to the pungent-spiny apex, dull green, the margins prickly. Jamaica, 1887. (G. C. ser. iii., vol. i., p. 549.)
A. Villarum (Villa Brothers'). l. quite spineless, as in A. filifera, but much longer, more spreading, and less dense. 1886. An Italian hybrid between A. filifera and A. xylonacantha, the former being the seed-bearer.
A. Wiesenbergensis (Wiesenberg). fl. erect, tubular, six-parted, 1 1/4in. long, disposed in clusters along the side of a long flower-stalk. l. 8in. long, 2 1/4in. broad, upwards of 1/2in. thick, oblong-lanceolate, mucronate, with remote, spiny teeth on the margins. 1885.