ROSE—MEXICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN PLANTS. 15 
—_ 
MANFREDA AND ITS SPECIES.’ 
In a former paper in the Contributions from the U.S. National 
Herbarium’ TI called attention to the desirability of restoring Manfreda 
to generic rank, or, perhaps better, of separating the herbaceous-leaved 
Agaves and using for them Salisbury’s name, Manfreda, which he had 
applied only to Agave wirginica. 
Since that paper was prepared for publication I have twice visited 
Mexico, where I gave especial attention to the Agaves and their allies. 
Tam now more strongly convinced than 
ever that Manfreda is gencrically distinct 
from Agave proper. It differs from 
Agave inits habit, in its manner of growth, 
in its foliage, in its inflorescence, ete. 
In Manfreda true bulbs are formed, 
from which annually appear stems that 
flower and die down to the ground. The 
leaves are comparatively thin and are 
neither spiny-edged nor spiny-pointed. 
The inflorescence is a simple lax raceme 
or spike and the flowers are borne singly. 
In Agave proper no bulbs are formed 
and the plants persist for years, some 
species flowering frequently, but many 
only once; the leaves are mostly fleshy, 
rigid, usually spiny-pointed, and gener- 
ally horny or spiny-edeed. The inflores- 
cence is an open panicle or a dense spike, 
with the flowers in pairs. 
Both Agave and Manfreda reach their 
greatest development in Central Mexico, and both have considerable 
economic importance. The Agave species called maguey, as is well 
known, furnish pulque, mescal (now generally called tequila), and 
“«Manfreda Salish. Gen. Pl. Frag. 78. 1866. 
DeLpixnod Ross, Boll. Orto Bot. Palermo 1: 117. 1887. 
LEICHTLINIA Ross, Del. Sem. Hort. Bot. Panorm. 48. 1893. 
ALLIBERTIA Marion, Rey. Hort. Bouch. Rhone. 1882. 
Fig. 6.—Flower of Manfreda virginica, 
Type species: 
Of Manfreda, .Agave virginica L. 
Of Delpinoa, D. graci/lima Ross. 
Of Leichtlinia, Agave protuberans Engelm. 
Of Allibertia, A. intermedia Marion. 
The further bibliography (Ross) of Leichtlinia is as follows: 
Boll. Soc. Sci. Nat. Palermo [reprint, p. 2]. 
Te. Deser, Pl. Noy. Rar. p/. 3. 1896. 
Bot. Central. 74: 217. 1898. 
5 Vol. 5, p. 155, 
