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| Agave calciphila G.Starr
in Starr, 2020.
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Abstract
A new species, Agave calciphila, endemic to the limestone hills north of Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico, is described. Its vegetative and flower morphology place this species in the section Heteracanthae, and close to Agave angustiarum, A. ghiesbreghtii, and A. huehueteca. After a comparison with these three species, A. calciphila was found to have shorter sterile peduncle and flowers.
Keywords: Agave sect. Heteracanthae, MacDougall, Marginatae group, Nizanda
Agave calciphila G.Starr, sp. nov.
Diagnosis:— Similar to Agave ghiesbreghtii and A. huehueteca but differs from both in having an extremely short sterile peduncle on the inflorescence (0–15 % of the total length vs. 50–70 % of the total length); a shorter overall flower length (34–42 mm vs. 50 mm and 40–45 mm, respectively); and a shorter flower tube (1 mm vs. 2–4 (10) mm and 5 mm, respectively).
Etymology:— The species name means “limestone loving” and describes the preference these plants have for growing on limestone.
Distribution:— Agave calciphila is restricted to the limestone outcrops north of Nizanda on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Oaxaca.
Greg D. Starr. 2020. A New Agave Species (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae), from southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Phytotaxa. 428(2); 73–80. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.428.2.1
A new species, Agave calciphila, endemic to the limestone hills north of Nizanda, Oaxaca, Mexico, is described. Its vegetative and flower morphology place this species in the section Heteracanthae, and close to Agave angustiarum, A. ghiesbreghtii, and A. huehueteca. After a comparison with these three species, A. calciphila was found to have shorter sterile peduncle and flowers.
Keywords: Agave sect. Heteracanthae, MacDougall, Marginatae group, Nizanda
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| FIGURE 1. Agave calciphila: (A) rosette drawn from photo of a plant at the type locality; (B) flower drawn from photograph of holotype; (C) leaf drawn from holotype; (D) flower cross section drawn from photograph of holotype. Drawings by Kim Duffek, 2019. |
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| FIGURE 2. Agave calciphila from the type locality showing an inflorescence with a very short sterile peduncle. |
Agave calciphila G.Starr, sp. nov.
Diagnosis:— Similar to Agave ghiesbreghtii and A. huehueteca but differs from both in having an extremely short sterile peduncle on the inflorescence (0–15 % of the total length vs. 50–70 % of the total length); a shorter overall flower length (34–42 mm vs. 50 mm and 40–45 mm, respectively); and a shorter flower tube (1 mm vs. 2–4 (10) mm and 5 mm, respectively).
Etymology:— The species name means “limestone loving” and describes the preference these plants have for growing on limestone.
Distribution:— Agave calciphila is restricted to the limestone outcrops north of Nizanda on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Oaxaca.
Greg D. Starr. 2020. A New Agave Species (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae), from southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Phytotaxa. 428(2); 73–80. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.428.2.1
