Polianthes
genus of plants
Polianthes is a genus of flowering plants in family Asparagaceae. It includes 23 species native to Mexico. One of its species is the tuberose, Polianthes tuberosa, a plant that is commonly used in perfume making.
Taxonomy
Polianthes and close relatives have long presented significant taxonomic difficulty. With the advent of DNA sequencing, new karyologic and evolutionary phylogenetic studies showed that Polianthes, along with Manfreda and Prochnyanthes, were genetically nested within the traditional circumscription of Agave, rendering that genus paraphyletic. Early in the 21st century, these new phylogenetic results led to a reclassification of to include Polianthes, Manfreda and Prochnyanthes together as Agave subgenus Manfreda.
There was reaction against the changes from those who noted that the large morphological differences between the genera in this new Agave s.l. making them "counter-intuitive from a horticultural point of view". Polianthes morphologically differs from the classic Agave description in that they are deciduous with narrow leaves and no spines. Mexican taxonomists have continued to adhere to the traditional classifications and have published new species of Polianthes.
The public source identifies “Polianthes” as genus of plants. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Polianthes, genus and plants.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Polianthes”, the useful work is to connect “genus of plants” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2346876. The Library of Congress control number is sh2008002905. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Polianthes”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Polianthes primary sources, Polianthes archive and Polianthes research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Polianthes”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Polianthes” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.