ASPARAGUS

Asparagus Tourn. ex L., Sp. Pl. 1: 313. 1753; Gen. Pl. 147. 1754; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 314. 1894; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2: 522. 1921 (Reprint 1980); Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 519. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Xinqi & Tamanian, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 24: 210; Straley & Utech, Fl. North Amer. 26: 213; Ali & Khan, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 1.

Perennial herbs or subshrubs. Rootstock thick, creeping with cylindrical fleshy branches or sometimes tuberous. Stem photosynthetic, erect or climbing, often straggling, much branched, prickly or unarmed. Leaves reduced to minute scales, scariose, spurred at base, spur sometimes extending into spines; leaves bearing in their axils 1 to many unequal, needle-like branchlets called CLADODES having the appearance of linear leaves. Flowers axillary, drooping, solitary or in clusters or racemes, small, white, usually bisexual, sometimes unisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, trimerous; pedicels articulate near the middle. Perianth usually campanulate, sometimes rotate, tepals 6, 2 whorls, free or connate at base. Stamens 6, epiphyllous, adnate with tepals of various degree, filaments free, anthers bithecous, dorsifixed, dehiscence through longitudinal slits, introrse. Ovary superior, 2-3 mm long, globose to slightly 3-gonous, 3-locular, 2-few ovules per loculus, placentation axile; style single, very short; stigmas 3, recurved. Fruit a berry, globose, ca. 5-6 mm in diameter, usually red when ripe. Seeds 2-6, black.

215 species

Asparagus densiflorus

Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop, Bothalia. 9: 65. 1966; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 24: 210; Ali & Khan, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 8; A. densiflora Kunth, Enum. Pl. 5: 96. 1850; A. sprengeri Regel, Acta Horti Petrop. 2: 409.t. 80. 1890.

Evergreen, perennial herb or subshrub. Stems stiff or spreading-arching, branched, up to 1 m, distinctly striate. Cladodes in fascicles of 1-5, linear, 1-3 cm x 1.5-2.5 mm, flat. Leaf spur spinescent, spine slightly hooked, 3-5 mm and sharp on older stems, very short and not sharp on branches, woody. Inflorescences developing after cladodes, solitary or paired, axillary, each a many-flowered racemes or panicles, 2-2.5 cm long. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, trimerous, small, white; bracts ovate, 2-5 mm long. Pedicel ca. 2 mm long, articulate near middle. Perianth campanulate, tepals 6 in 2 whorls of 3 each, white, connate at base, segments oblong-ovate, ca. 2 mm long. Stamens 6, adnate at base of tepals, shorter than perianth; filaments small, 1 mm long; anthers ca. 1 mm long, bithecous, dorsifixed; style ca. 1 mm long; stigma trifid. Berry red, 8-10 mm in diameter, 1- or 2-seeded.

Flowering and Fruiting: May to June
Common Names: Emerald Fern, Emerald Asparagus Fern, Sprenger Asparagus, Foxtail Asparagus