Jacobi - 3 - Sept. 33,1871 



sDecially about the innumerous remaining errors in printing. If 

 my health continues to improve, I would llke to deliver a better do - 

 cumented' Synopsis of the Agavae t ertlich will have a higher scientific 

 value, as, by now, one half of the knowrr flowers of Agavae are known to 

 ^cFor the publication of this and a commensurate presentatiorr with: 

 affordable illustrations I have prospects in Holland at a scientific 

 Institution in Hartem 



My detailed studies of flowers have brought me to the conclusiorr 

 that the Agavae fall into two large nain groups according to their 



sex or their sex Organs, the Pterostylae and Columna- 



stylae. To the first belong JF ourcroya and Besehorneria, to the latterr, 



Agave. About the of the f ertilizing organs I have raade 



very intensive studies, which show without doubt, that the two tribes 

 form an inseparable nain division. The difference between the two lies 

 therein, that with E the s tarne ns and the pistil are longerr, and that 

 a different relation exists between the length of filaments and anthers,, 

 and that the shape of the corolla with B is always long tube-like, but 

 with Q s either egg-shaped or salver- shape. Also F . is always vivipar, 

 and o^ the known species only F. lamaeva carries below the flowers 

 seeds which can fferminate. With A^ave the pistil is either eylindrical! 

 or strong-edered', pri snatic , a^d then alnost always woimd in the direction 



of the spiral of the shaft The corolla is mr.t-toe -,part 



tube part pi-, part funnel - shape, or alnost bell-shaped. The se- 

 xual parts rise in sexual raaturity above the rin of the corolla with 

 most species. Only the Stigma is then mostly still considerably lonrrer 

 than the stamens, so that pollinatiorr occnrs rarely in the sane flower, 

 but mostly from later developed flowers. This all must pro vi de refer- 

 e^ce points for systematic sub-divisions. The shape of the inf lo^escense 

 seeras tp me to be very unreliable, because at times species have a very 

 similar exterior habitus, so that one would expect similar floral arrange 



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7 8 9 

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