Uses, Knowledge and Extinction Risk Faced by Species in Mexico.

We compiled an updated database of all species found in Mexico and analyzed it with specific criteria according to their biological parameters to evaluate the conservation and knowledge status of each species. Analyzing the present status of all species not only provides crucial information for each species, but also helps determine which ones require special protection, especially those which are heavily used or cultivated for the production of distilled beverages. We conducted an extensive literature review search and compiled the conservation status of each species using mainstream criteria by IUCN.

Evolutionary ecology of Agave: distribution patterns, phylogeny, and coevolution (an homage to Howard S. Gentry).

With more than 200 species, the genus Agave is one of the most interesting and complex groups of plants in the world, considering for instance its great diversity and adaptations. The adaptations include the production of a single, massive inflorescence (the largest among plants) where after growing for many years, sometimes more than 30, the rosette dies shortly afterward, and the remarkable coevolution with their main pollinators, nectarivorous bats, in particular of the genus Leptonycteris. The physiological adaptations of Agave species include a photosynthetic metabolism that allows efficient use of water and a large degree of succulence, helping to store water and resources for their massive flowering event.

Phylogeny, Diversification Rate, and Divergence Time of (Asparagaceae), a Group of Recent Origin in the Process of Diversification.

is one of the most diverse and complex genera of Asparagaceae, with more than 250 species. The morphological, ecological, and evolutionary diversity of the group has complicated its taxonomical study. We conducted phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of the genus.