Agave jimenoi Cházaro & A.Vázquez, 2013

Cházaro-Basañez, Miguel & Vázquez-García, Jose Antonio, 2013, Agave jimenoi (Polycephalae group, Asparagaceae) a new species from the Totonacapan region, Veracruz, Mexico, Phytotaxa 134 (1), pp. 55-60 : 55-58

Agave jimenoi Cházaro & A.Vázquez , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 and 3 )

Agave jimenoi is morphologically similar to Agave gomezpompae in sharing a long bifurcate stem, oblanceolate flexible foliage, lateral erect inflorescence with flowers along the upper half of the shaft, polycarpic habit, and habitat at low to mid elevation tropical subperennial forest. However, it differs from the later in its shorter stems (33–35 vs. ca. 150 cm long), hanging vs creeping stems, smaller leaves (39–40 vs. 80–85 cm long), pattern of denticles (lacking in the 6 cm below the spine vs all along the leaf margin), and size of inflorescence (132–140 vs. 250–265 cm tall).

Type:— MEXICO. Veracruz, Municipio: Tlapacoyan, Cascada El Encanto , at Filobobos river , 19º59’0.38”N, 97º10’40”W, 150 m, 30 April 2009 (fl), D. Jimeno, G . Sánchez , J . R . Fernández 702 (holotype XAL!, isotypes MEXU!, IBUG!)

Perennial plants up to 60 cm tall, non surculose, polycarpic; stems 34–90 cm long, 5.1–6 cm in diameter at the base, hanging, bifurcate, each branch bearing a terminal rosette that turns upright with 16–20 leaves per rosette; leaves 39–42 × 8.4–8.5 cm, oblanceolate, flexible, adaxially concave when young, green–glaucous; marginal denticles the same color of leaf blade, lacking in the upper 6 cm below the spine; spine 0.5–1.3 cm long, dark brown, flexible; inflorescence stem 132–140 × 1.3–1.45 cm, lateral, an erect spike; bracts (2.2–)10–160 × 2.2–12 mm, lanceolate, narrow, acuminate at the apex; flowers 28–30 × 2–2.6 mm (without the stamens), geminate; pedicels 3–5.8 × 2.3–3.6 mm; tepals 6, 17.5–20 × 5–6.5 mm, united at the base forming a tube 7 × 5 mm, lanceolate, yellowish; stamens 41–44 mm long, with reddish to yellow anthers of ca. 15 × 1.5 mm; ovary 13–13.3 × 4–4.5 mm long; styles about 4.7 × 0.15 cm; capsules 15.8–18.8 × 12–13 mm, elliptic; seeds 2–3.3 × 3.4–4.8 mm, black.

Taxonomic relationships: — Agave jimenoi belongs to the subgenus Littaea ( Tagliabue 1816: 106) Baker (1888: 164) , and to the Polycephalae group ( Gentry 1982). In addition to the morphological relationships in the diagnosis, this species differs from A. gomezpompae in its distribution pattern (Totonacapan vs. Córdoba- Zongolica region). In terms of morphology, Agave jimenoi is distantly related with A. pendula , sharing with the latter its bifurcate hanging stem and pattern of denticles (lacking denticles in the upper portion of the leaf below the spine); nevertheless, it differs from the latter in having stems 33–35 vs. ca. 200 cm long, leaf shape oblong vs. oblong to lanceolate, leaves 38–42 × 8.4–8.5 vs. ca. 93 × 4.8 cm, leaf color pattern without a central stripe vs. with a yellow central stripe, inflorescence lateral erect vs. pendulous, and flowers located in the upper half vs. in the upper third of the shaft ( Table 1).

Distribution, habitat and phenology: — This species is only known from the Central Veracruz state in two localities: the Type locality at Cascada El Encanto, Filobobos river, in Tlapacoyan, and a second population that we saw but we could not collect on a cliff near San Pablo, at Gutiérrez-Zamora municipality. Agave jimenoi is a cliff dweller, thrives at the lowlands (ca. 150 m a.s.l.). In fact, among the Polycepahalae group, Agave jimenoi is the one growing at the lowest altitude, in tropical subperennial forest ( Rzedowski 1978). Flowering from April to May and fruiting from May to July.

Eponymy:— The specific epithet honors Biol. Héctor David Jimeno-Sevilla, from Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; recently incorporated to the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Zongolica, Veracruz; an enthusiastic explorer, a gifted botanical illustrator, a curator, a professional scientist devoted to the study of the succulent flora of Mexico, and a scholar of the genus Echeveria Candolle (1838: 401) and the familiy Crassulaceae Saint-Hilaire (1805: 123) in the Veracruz state.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— MEXICO. Veracruz, Municipio: Tlapacoyan, Cascada El Encanto, Filobobos river , 19º59’0.38”N, 97º10’40”W, 150 m, (fr) 16 July 2011 (fr) Cházaro, et al. s. n. ( XAL!, MEXU!, IBUG!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Agave jimenoi. A. Habitat, B. Flower, C. Flower, longitudinal section, D. Tepal, E. Leaf, F. Seed, G. Capsules, H. Denticulation detail. Art by: H. David Jimeno-Sevilla.

FIGURE 2. Agave jimenoi. A. Stem showing the bifurcation scar, indicated with a yellow arrow, B. Habit, C. Infrutescence, D. Seedlings growing in dry capsules, E. Inflorescence. Photographs by Gerardo Sánchez-Vigil (A, B and D), Alberto Badía (C), and H. David Jimeno-Sevilla (E).

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Agave (Polycephalae group).