This is a completely new (2024) revision of the genus agave and a very important step forward. In 2014 five new genera were split off the genus Aloe: Aloiampelos, Aloidendron, Aristaloe, Gonialoe, and Kumara. This was the result of molecular studies that shed new light on the evolutionary origin of what we call aloes.

Now in 2024 agaves have undergone a similar process. A team of Mexican botanists published an article titled “New Genera and New Combinations in Agavaceae” in which they propose three new additional genera based
on genetics, morphology, and the estimated time they diverged from the common ancestor of all agaves.

In the past it was proposed proposed to include Manfreda, Polianthes, and Prochnyanthes within Agave, a classification which resulted in a huge and very diverse genus . The current proposal segregating three new genera Echinoagave, Paleoagave, and Paraagave hopefully provides a more accurate classification based on more natural or monophyletic groups as supported by recent studies. It also allows Manfreda, Polianthes, and Prochnyanthes to be separate from the monophyletic Agave sensu stricto.