Agave ×peacockii and A. warelliana

Smith, G.F. & Figueiredo, E. (2014) Typification of the names Agave ×peacockii Croucher and A. warelliana Hort. ex Baker (Agavaceae / Asparagaceae). Bradleya 32: 25-29.

Summary: The typification of two names in Agave L. (Agavaceae / Asparagaceae), Agave ×peacockii Croucher and A. warelliana Hort. ex Baker, is clarified. Illustrations of the newly designated lectotypes of both these names are included.

Agave felgeri

Smith, G.F. & Figueiredo, E. (2014) Notes on the reproductive morphology and phenology of Agave felgeri Gentry (Agavaceae). Bradleya 32: 13-18.

Summary: Species of Agave L., the New World genus of rosulate leaf succulents, generally take many years to flower. Consequently, new species were historically often described from sterile material, resulting in a situation where fundamental phenological information on many species is often lacking. Although less prevalent today, this situation continues sporadically and for Agave felgeri Gentry, which was described just over 40 years ago, information such as basic flower morphology and flower colour is lacking. Here we rectify this situation by providing an amplified description and illustrations of the species.

Historical names recorded in Agave

Smith, G.F. & Figueiredo, E. (2014) Out with the old, in with the new? Historical names recorded in Agave L. (Agavaceae / Asparagaceae). Bradleya 32: 64-69.

Summary: We show that seven of nine previously overlooked names recently recorded as validly published in Agave L. (Agavaceae / Asparagaceae) only add to the already substantial nomenclatural burden of the genus. In one case, that of A. leopoldii [as “Leopoldea”] Rafarin, which was published in 1874 in the Revue Horticole in an article entitled ‘Souvenirs de l’Exposition Internationale d’Horticulture de Gand’, could have an impact on the species-level nomenclatural stability of the genus, if a proposal to conserve the name is not accepted. For the sake of nomenclatural stability, a formal mechanism must be found to lessen or, ideally, entirely prevent, long-forgotten names that were never used from being introduced in preference to ones in long use.