Polianthes subgenus Polianthes, Linnaeus, 1753

Castro-Castro, Arturo, González-Bernal, Marco Antonio & Aguilar, Edmi Itzel Rojas-, 2023, New insights on Polianthes montana (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae) and the description of P. aarodriguezii a new species, both from Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico, Phytotaxa 583 (1), pp. 61-71 : 70

Identification key to the species of Polianthes subgenus Polianthes

1. Perigone tube 1.3–2.8 cm long...........................................................................................................................................................2

2. Flowers sessile....................................................................................................................................................................................3

3. Leaves ovate to lanceolate, usually prostrate on the ground .......................................................................................... P. platyphylla

3. Leaves linear, ascending............................................................................................................................................. P. venustuliflora

2. Flowers pedicellate.............................................................................................................................................................................4

4. Flowers yellowish green at anthesis, white to light brown at senescence, scentless; tubular perigone; pedicels (0.15–)0.22–0.26(– 0.6) cm during anthesis....................................................................................................................................................... P. montana

4. Flowers cream to almost white, pink with white lines, yellowish-pink, pinkish, almost red, orange, or yellowish, scented; funnelshaped perigone; pedicels 0.35–1.6 cm during anthesis.................................................................................................. P. multicolor

1. Perigone tube (2.5–) 3–10 cm long .....................................................................................................................................................5

5. Flowering portion of the inflorescence short and crowded; flowers solitary, greenish yellow in anthesis...................... P. densiflora

5. Flowering portion of the inflorescence long and lax; flowers geminate, white in anthesis ...............................................................6

6. Cultivated plants; perigone tube 2.5–3.5(–4) cm long ....................................................................................................... P. tuberosa

6. Wild plants; perigone tube 3–10 cm long...........................................................................................................................................7

7. Perigone apex oblique; style exserted in anthesis ............................................................................................................... P. nelsonii

7. Perigone apex symmetrical; style included in anthesis ......................................................................................................................8

8. Inflorescence (44–) 84–160 cm long...................................................................................................................................................9

9. Leaves 2–6, linear; inflorescence spike-like, 94–160 cm long; perigone with a nectary located in the second third of the floral tube; filaments 2–10 mm long.............................................................................................................................................. P. alboaustralis

9. Leaves (1–)3–4; ensiform; inflorescence racemose, (44–) 84–122 cm long; perigone without a nectary on the floral tube; filaments 6.5–9.7 mm long......................................................................................................................................................... P. aarodriguezii

8. Inflorescence (14–) 30–70 cm long...................................................................................................................................................10

10. Perigone lobes ovate, 5–6 mm long; leaves (0.8–) 1.2–1.5 cm wide.................................................................................. P. palustris

10. Perigone lobes oblong-elliptic, (5–) 10–20 mm long; leaves usually less than 1 cm wide...............................................................11

11. Perigone tube 3–7 cm long; lobes 10–15 mm long; anthers (5–) 7–9.5 mm long .......................................................... P. sessiliflora

11. Perigone tube 6–10 cm long; lobes 15–20 mm long; anthers 10–14 mm long ................................................................ P. longiflora