18/05/2021 : surajit : Agave in "Botany of Bihar and Orissa"

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surajit koley

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May 18, 2021, 9:38:11 AM5/18/21
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Unlike the "Bengal Plants", "Botany of Bihar and Orissa" features 5 Agave spp., and provides KEY -

I. Leavers over 3 ft. in length, in lax rosette or tufted :-
    A. Perianth segments not constricted towards the tip :-
            1. L. broadest in the middle, tapering to both extremities :-
                     L. oblong-lanceolate, neck sharply constricted .......... americana L. (common ornamental plant throughout the province)
                     L. linear-oblong, neck not constricted ................. vera-cruz Miller. (more or less naturalized in Singbhum etc)
            2. L. linear-lanceolate, hardly widened in the middle ......... cantula Roxb.  (cultivated)
    B. Perianth segments narrowed from about the middle to a ligulate tip :-
                 L. straight and narrow, often spineless ............. sisalana Perrine (introduced into Tirhut etc)
II. Leaves never exceeding 3 ft., in a close globose rosette ........ wightii Dr. & Prain (Tirhut)


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surajit koley

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May 21, 2021, 3:21:45 AM5/21/21
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I don't know why the KEW page of Agave vera-cruz doesn't open now.
This came to my notice that many many of the reference pages I linked in various discussion threads are either removed or moved to somewhere else.
However, GBIF page is still there - https://www.gbif.org/species/2766994 and a screenshot.


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surajit koley

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May 21, 2021, 3:39:22 AM5/21/21
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J.M. Garg

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May 28, 2021, 11:59:50 AM5/28/21
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POWO page now opening. 

On Fri, 21 May 2021 at 12:51, surajit koley <surajitno...@gmail.com> wrote:
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surajit koley

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May 29, 2021, 3:45:41 AM5/29/21
to J.M. Garg, efloraofindia
Yes, Sir

Agaveamericana L.vera-cruz Mill.cantula Roxb.sisalana Perrinewightii Dr & Prain
accepted namevivipara L.angustifolia var. angustifolia
leavesvery stout, commonly variegated, very swollen base, sharply constricted neck above the baseoften rather concave just above the middle (widest part), leaf base thick, early curving upwards and ends more or less recurvedmoderately thick base, curving gradually outwards, or in weak specimen bent over almost from basenot at all constricted above moderately thick base, base thin, broadly amplexicaule,
leaves (feature & orientation)lanceolate, many in lax rosette, spreading at base, then ascending and finally tips often recurved; 4-6 ft log and upto 1 ft broad aove the middle, margin distinctly sinuate and bearing reflexed spines (prickles)linear-oblong, 4-6 ft X upto 10 inch.linear-lanceolate, lax but even tuft, 4 ft or more, ut usually 2.25 inch broad; over 3 inch above the middle (widest part)not forming rosette, but closely tufted, inner leaves at sharp angle with the axis, outer less than a right angle; upto 6ft X 10 inchensiform linear-lanceolate, vary many, forming a stiff even rosette; 3-5 ft X 2.5 inch, flat or very slightly convex
leaves (colour)sometimes rather glaucousvery deep green, sage green, glaucouspale green, older darker, sometimes glaucousdeep green, glaucous or notpale green often tinged with ashy gray
apical spine1-2 inch long0.5-1 inch dark brownusually acicular, 0.5-1 inch reddish or dark brownglossy, purple or dark brown0.5 inch, pale. slightly decurrent
marginal pricklesstrong, dark brownspreading or decurved, black or dark colouredconspicuous, falcate pointing forwards. .25 inch or more, very sharpabsent or if present weak scattered and palerather weak
scape15-25 ft12-18 ft15 ft or more12-15 ft
inflorescenceprimary branches almost horizontalmain branches of panicle 3-chotomous, curved or flattenedinflorescence on flexuous rather slender branchesfascicles of flowers rather crowdedmain branches short 3-chotomous
tepalsovate lanceolate, tips obtuselinear-lanceolate, ovary smooth cylindric longer than perianthbluntly linear-lanceolate, or linear-oblong, otusebase of perianth convex and somewhat dialated, limb suddenly contracted, segments narrowly ligulate, tip slightly hooded, Style longperianth cup soon dividing into lanceolate segments, each ending in a narrowly ovate lanceolate limb, slightly thickened at the obtuse tip



I don't have money to replace my keypad right now
Specially, key 'B', 'N' and 'Y' refuse to feel my touch!!!

surajit koley

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Jun 5, 2021, 2:54:48 AM6/5/21
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This is copybook image of Agave angustifolia prickles - https://cdn.plantatlas.org/img/specimens/USF/268928.jpg at no. 2 of https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=4115

Thank you
With regards
surajit koley

surajit koley

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Jun 7, 2021, 10:40:29 AM6/7/21
to J.M. Garg, efloraofindia
Finally, I think, Sir, we should follow the  " lucidcentral" KEY (which you have often referred to, in other threads of Agave, for the identification of the five apparently confusing species :- leaf margin with .....
  1. stout and conspicuous prickles = americana, vera-cruz and cantula (vivipara)
  2. prickles relatively weak, but present and with special character (screenshot Haines_03) = angustifolia
  3. prickles absent or if present weak, not dark coloured, straight, intermittent or not = sisalana
Because, I have searched and noted many many GBIF and KEW herbarium, I have decided :-
  1. flowers are not reliable identifier (because close up of live flower photograph of all the species are not available)
  2. leaf orientation or angle of attachment to the stem (rosette or not) is not very reliable, because all type can be seen in all species
So, I think, as you always stated, that the margin prickles the first level of determiner,  thereafter the KEY and the TABLE in this thread.

I attach herewith pages from Haines' book and protologue of Agave vera-cruz.

Thank you
With regards
surajit koley

On Fri, 28 May 2021 at 21:29, J.M. Garg <jmg...@gmail.com> wrote:
Haines_01.jpg
Haines_02.jpg
Haines_03.jpg
mobot31753002894894_0034.jpg
mobot31753002894894_0035.jpg
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