Manfreda
Encyclopedia
Manfreda is a genus
of about 20 species of flowering plant
s in the family
Asparagaceae
, subfamily Agavoideae. Along with Polianthes
, members are commonly called tuberose
s. Some authorities place Manfreda in genus Polianthes, while others group place both genera in Agave. The generic name honours 14th century Italian writer Manfredus de Monte Imperiale.
They are native to the southern United States
, Mexico
, and Central America
.
Like others in its family, tuberoses have rosettes
of leaves
branching from a very short stem, and flower
s at the end of a long stalk. The flowers are tubular and whitish, yellow, green, or brownish, with lengthy stamen
s.
The Texas Tuberose (Manfreda maculosa) is notable for having bright green leaves covered with purple spots.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 20 species of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Asparagaceae
Asparagaceae
Asparagaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots.In earlier classification systems, the species involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae...
, subfamily Agavoideae. Along with Polianthes
Polianthes
Polianthes is a genus of plants in family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. It includes tuberose , a plant that is commonly used in perfume making...
, members are commonly called tuberose
Tuberose
The tuberose is a perennial plant related to the agaves, extracts of which are used as a middle note in perfumery. The common name derives from the Latin tuberosa, meaning swollen or tuberous in reference to its root system. It consists of about 12 species...
s. Some authorities place Manfreda in genus Polianthes, while others group place both genera in Agave. The generic name honours 14th century Italian writer Manfredus de Monte Imperiale.
They are native to the southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Like others in its family, tuberoses have rosettes
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
of leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
branching from a very short stem, and flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s at the end of a long stalk. The flowers are tubular and whitish, yellow, green, or brownish, with lengthy stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s.
The Texas Tuberose (Manfreda maculosa) is notable for having bright green leaves covered with purple spots.
Species
- Manfreda brachystachys (Cav.Antonio José CavanillesAntonio José Cavanilles was a leading Spanish taxonomic botanist of the 18th century. He named many plants, particularly from Oceania, his name is abbreviated as Cav...
) RoseJoseph Nelson RoseJoseph Nelson Rose was an American botanist. He was born in Union County, Indiana. His father died serving during the Civil War when Joseph Rose was a young boy. He later graduated from high school in Liberty, Indiana.... - Manfreda longiflora (Rose) Verh.-Will. – Amole de Río, Longflower Tuberose
- Manfreda maculosa (Hook.William Jackson HookerSir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an English systematic botanist and organiser. He held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University, and was the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He enjoyed the friendship and support of Sir Joseph Banks for his exploring,...
) Rose – Amole de Culebra, Spice Lily, Texas Tuberose - Manfreda potosina (B.L.Rob.Benjamin Lincoln RobinsonBenjamin Lincoln Robinson was an American botanist.-External links:*...
& Greenm.) Rose - Manfreda sileri Verh.-Will. – Siler's Tuberose
- Manfreda singuliflora (S.WatsonSereno WatsonSereno Watson was an American botanist.Graduating from Yale in 1847, he drifted through various occupations until, in California, he joined the Clarence King Expedition and eventually became its expedition botanist...
) Rose - Manfreda variegata (Jacobi) Rose – Amole Akayman, Mottled Tuberose
- Manfreda virginicaManfreda virginicaManfreda virginica, commonly known as the False Aloe or Rattlesnake Master, is a species of flowering plant related to agaves. It is native to an area stretching from North Carolina west to Texas in the United States and south to Nuevo León and Tamaulipas in Mexico.-Description:False Aloe is...
(L.) Salisb.Richard Anthony SalisburyRichard Anthony Salisbury FRS was a British botanist. While he is remembered as a valuable worker in horticultural and botanical sciences, several bitter disputes caused him to be ostracised by his contemporaries.-Life:...
ex Rose – Amole de Virginia, False Aloe