Manfreda Salisbury. Common name: Tube-rose, Spice-lily, Amole Plant, Huaco, American-aloe.
A genus of 26 species, rosette herbs, of se. and sc. United States and Mexico, south to Central America. Manfreda has sometimes been treated within a broadly defined Agave. As is so often the case, the argument between a broad Agave (including in our area Manfreda) and a narrower Agave (excluding in our area Manfreda) is not a phylogenetic "yes" or "no" answer. Vázquez-García et al. (2024) recognized several early-diverging lineages as genera separate from Agave sensu stricto, also enabling the recognition of the morphologically distinctive Manfreda clade at generic rank.
ID notes: Glabrous scapose perennials forming loose rosettes of fleshy leaves. The leaves are distinctive, ranging from green to grayish-green and characterized with unique patterns of spots, streaks, or stripes. Flowers grow from the rosette in a spikelike raceme and are nocturnal. The perianths are tubular-funnelform, 6-parted, greenish to greenish white or yellowish and sometimes streaked or dotted with pink or brown and aging to deep rose.
References: Carr (2016); Jiménez-Barron et al. (2020); Vázquez-García et al. (2024); Verhoek (1998) In Kubitzki (1998a); Verhoek (2002b) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2002a); Zona (2001). Show full citations.
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend. Data for arrows not developed for genera and families which may have species only occurring outside the flora area.
© Alan M. Cressler | Manfreda virginica ssp. virginica | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Manfreda virginica ssp. virginica | Original Image ⭷
© Alexis López Hernández, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alexis López Hernández | Manfreda longiflora source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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