20 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
8. Manfreda brachystachys (Cay. ) Rose. 
lgare brachystachys Cav. Deser, 453. 1802. 
Agave polyanthoides Cham. & Schlecht. Linniea 6: 55. 1851. 
Agave saponaria Lindl. Bot. Reg. 24.: mise. no. Il. P8358. 
Basal leaves several, spreading, green, glabrous, not spotted, somewhat reddish at 
base; peduncle rather stout, many-flowered, the subtending bract as long as the 
ovary, acuminate; ovary sessile, 1 to 1.4 cm. long; perianth tube 2 to 2.4 em. long, 
more or less curved, especially in age; lobes oblong, 1.4 to 1.6 em. long; stamens 
inserted 4 to 6 mm. below the top of the perianth tube, long-exserted, reddish 
especially below the filaments, ribbon-like in herbarium specimens; capsule oblong, 
2 to 2.4em. long, abruptly constricted at base (im my specimen). This seems to be 
a widely distributed species extending from northern Mexico to Guatemala. 1 would 
refer here the following collections: 
Coahuila: Saltillo, Dr. KH. Palmer, 1880 (no. 1307). 
Jalisco: Between Huejuquilla and Mesquitee, J. N. Rose, August 25, E897 (no. 
2592); near Guadalajara, J. N. Rose, September 22, 1897 (no. 3097). 
Federal District: Pedregal, Valley of Mexico, C. G. Pringle, S896 (no. 6587). 
Chiapas: About Ocuilapa, Kk. W. Nelson, August 21, 1895 (iio. © 057). 
Cruatemala: Near Santa Rosa, Heyde & Lux, November, 1892 (no. 4292). 
Baker and others have regarded the species as really Mexican. 1 collected) speci- 
mens on the table-lands of Mexico which answer Lindley’s description and figure in 
every detail. Tt occurred to me that Hartwee might have collected the plant in this 
same region, and, on referring to his paper relating to his visit to Mexico, [ find that 
he mentions Agave saponaria as seen by him, and that on another page it is listed 
samong the plants sent by him, which either had flowered or were growing in the 
gardens of the Horticulture Society of London. 
Hartweg’s plants were collected in 1838 (probably early in the year) and Lindley’s 
description was published in October of the same year. 
Lindley says of the habitat of this species in connection with the original description: 
“For this new species of Agave Iam indebted to James Bateman, esq., who received 
it from his friend, Mr. Skinner. The latter gentleman, traveling in Peru, found it 
growing on a sandy plain, and learned that it is used as a soap plant.’ 
Elsewhere he says, ‘It seems to be Mexican,.’’ 
Very near the above species must be Ayare sessiiflora Hems.@ The deseription is 
based upon two specimens of Bourgeau’s, one from the Orizaba region (no. 3003) 
and the other from ‘‘ Barranca de Pedregal.’’ From the latter place Mr. Pringle has 
collected specimens (no. 6587) which he has distributed under the above name. In 
the latter specimens the leaves are sometimes 4.3 em. wide, the flowers including the 
ovary and stamens are 7.5 to 8.7 cm. long, while the perianth itself is 3.7 cm. long, 
the lobes being shorter than the tube. These specimens of Mr. Pringle’s seem very 
near A. brachystachys. 
The species is figured in the Biologia Centrali-Americana, p/. 8s, 
9. Manfreda variegata (Jacobi) Rose. 
Agave variegata Jacobi, Hamb. Gartenz. 21: 459. 1865. 
Leaves said to be 3 to 4dm. long, 2.5 to 5 em. wide, deeply channeled, spotted; 
perianth glaucous without, the tube broadly funnel-shaped, 8 to 10 mm. long, the 
lobes oblong, 12 mm. long; stamens inserted near the top of the tube; ovary inelud- 
ing slender beak 4 mim. Ieng. 
Southeastern Texas and northern Mexico. 
The flowers here described were collected near Brownsville, Texas, October, 1895 
(no. 73), by C. H. Tyler Townsend. The plant is called ‘huaco,’’ and is supposed 
to be a remedy for snake bites. 
«@ Diag. Pl. Noy. 3. 55, 1880, 
