I didn't see the word subspecies mentioned, only the word cultivar. The article is not very clear as to whether or not it is A. montana or another species in the Agave macroculmis complex. I think the cultivar Baccarat is a variation and not a subspecies.

As far as how would they make a subspecies official, I'm not sure. I know the big botanists, who are studying the plant, decide if something is a subspecies and then I don't what happens, but I find out real quick.

@jay I am already a step behind you because I do not understand the difference between a subspecies, variation, and a cultivar. And when I see a new name tacked onto a species, how am I supposed to know which of these it is?

An example, as I understand it:

Species..........Agave americana (note Genus starts with uppercase and the species starts with lowercase

Subspecies..........Agave americana ssp (or subsp) americana

Variety..........Agave americana var expansa

Cultivar..........Agave american cv 'Marginata' or Agave american "Marginata"

The difference between a subsp and variety, are often based on location.

subsp....... 2 populations of the same spp, in different locations, may exhibit morphological differences, and are probably evolving into 2 distinct species.

var....... plants within the same population that exhibit variable characteristics, eg flower colour, size.

cultivar......bred in cultivation from either a natural sport or cross breeding.

Hope that helps

I just read that cultivars don't grow true from seed, but variants do. That would make Baccarat a variation if it comes true from seed. Baccarat seems to show traits of a couple different species in the Agave macroculmis complex, so maybe there's some possible hybridization in its genes , and more detailed testing is needed. If anybody grows it, can you chime in about it's propagation.

See the article floral linked to. There is no involved term "variation" or "variant" that has a relevant technical definition, the word is instead variety or varietas. Cultivar is short for cultivated variety, serves to indicate it is a variety that arose in cultivation rather than nature. Cultivars of flowering annuals and annual vegetables are raised from seed, so a clonal origin is not required for a plant to represent a cultivar.