Abstract:
Several species of Agave L. (Agavaceae
/ Asparagaceae) have intricate nomenclatural histories,
given that material imported into Europe
from their New World habitats took several years,
if not decades to flower, resulting in hasty and
cryptic descriptions often being based on vegetative
material only. Furthermore, multiple authors
sometimes, but not always, used the same binomials
to refer to plants known in cultivation, making
it important to clarify and establish correct
author citations to determine which species are
referred to. In this paper we clarify the use of the
well-known names Agave applanata Hort. ex
K.Koch, A. verschaffeltii Lem. ex Jacobi and A.
ghiesbreghtii Hort. ex Jacobi. In addition, notes
are provided on 12 further species names that K.
Koch established and, where appropriate, furnished
by him with descriptive statements in an
often overlooked paper that he published in 1862.
