Tas. 7582. 
AGAVE KEWENSIS. 
Native of Mexico. 
Nat. Ord. AmaryLLipe”.—Tribe AGavez. 
Genus AGave, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 738.) 
Acave (Euagave) kewensis; breviter caulescens, foliis 30-40 laxe rosulatis 
oblongo-lanceolatis carnoso-coriaceis viridibus, spina terminali debili vix 
pungente spinulis marginalibus parvis deltoideis brunneis, pedunculo 
valido elongato foliis multis rudimentariis lanceolatis preedito, floribus in 
paniculam laxam dispositis, ramis patulis apice multifloris, pedicellis 
brevibus, bracteis parvis ovatis scariosis, ovario cylindrico, perianthio 
lutescente tubo brevi infundibulari, lobis ovato-lanceolatis, staminibus 
lobis 2-3-plo longioribus, stylo staminibus longiore. 
A. kewensis, Jacobi Monogr, Agave, p. 242. Baker in Gard. Chron. 1897, 
vol. i. p. 68; Handb. Amaryllid. p. 242. ? 
The present Agave belongs to the group with com- 
paratively fleshy leaves, the species of which are less 
hardy and much rarer in cultivation than A. americana, 
A. rigida, and their allies. Of this group it is the finest 
and largest species which is known. When General 
Jacobi visited the Royal Gardens at Kew in 1865 he at 
once recognized it as a new and well-marked species, and 
shortly afterwards described it in his monograph under 
the name of Agave kewensis. It did not flower till 1895, 
and then proved to have the americana type of panicle. 
The plant did not perfect seed, and died after flowering, 
but the peduncle was cut and kept, and fortunately, as it 
was the only plant known, developed a number of bulbillx 
after the flowers faded. These have been planted, and it 
is hoped that a number of young plants raised from them 
will shortly be ready for distribution. 
_— Deser.—Trunk produced to a length of half a foot 
below the leaves. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, thirty or 
forty in a rather lax rosette, three or four feet long, 
seven or eight inches broad at the middle, narrowed 
gradually to four inches above the dilated base, bright 
green on both surfaces, concave on the face in the middle ; 
end spine weak and scarcely pungent; marginal spinules 
May Ist, 1897, 
