Overview
Generally prickly climber from S. Africa, with narrow, flattened "leaves" (actually cladodes) in clusters of 1-3; foliage generally not in flattened sprays . Flowers tiny, white or pinkish, several, in dense clusters; fruits red. Important foliage plant for floral arrangements ; several varieties are used (e.g. cv. 'Springeri').
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in Chinese:
Fei Zhou Tian Men Dong
Common Names in Danish:
Hængeasparges
Common Names in English:
Asparagus Fern, Bushy Asparagus, Coarse Asparagus Fern, Emerald Feather, Foxtail Fern, Myers Asparagus, Protasparagus, Sprenger Asparagus, Sprenger´s Asparagus Fern, Sprenger's Asparagus Fern, Sprengeri´s Fern
Common Names in French:
Asperge De Sprenger, Cheveux De Madeleine (Reunion)
Common Names in Informal Latinized N:
Asparagus Fern
Common Names in Japanese:
Asuparagasu Denshifurorusu
Description
Genus Asparagus
Herbs, shrubs
, or vines
, perennial
, from rhizomes, usually with fusiform
tubers, often with fernlike appearance
. Stems photosynthetic, erect
, spreading
or climbing
, branched; cladophylls
solitary or fasciculate, in nodes of reduced, scarious
leaves. Leaves small, scale-like, membranous, or sometimes spiny
with hardened base
, subtending
cladophylls. Inflorescences axillary
or terminal
, racemose, or umbellate
, paired
or solitary; racemes
short. Flowers bisexual
or unisexual
; perianth greenish, white, or yellowish, campanulate
to rotate; tepals 6, distinct
or shortly connate
basally, equal; stamens 6, distinct, equal; anthers
versatile, 2-locular, dehiscence introrse
; ovary superior, 3-locular, septal nectaries present; style 3-branched distally; pedicel with conspicuous
joint
. Fruits baccate
, red or purplish black, globose
, often with tepals persisting at base. Seeds 1-6, black, globose to angular. x
= 10.
Species 170-300: introduced
; Europe, Asia, Africa; some widely introduced, expected elsewhere.
Asparagus is a moderately important horticultural genus, with one species commonly grown for its edible young shoots
and a number of others grown ornamentally. The genus is treated here in a broad sense (K
. Kubitzki and P. J. Rudall 1998; W. S. Judd 2001) and encompasses species that have been segregated in several genera (A. L. Takhtajan 1997; S. T. Malcomber and Sebsebe D. 1993). Embryological features (P. J. Rudall et al.
1998) and DNA-based analyses (M.
W. Chase et al. 1996; M. F. Fay et al. 2000; P. J. Rudall et al. 1997) support
the monophyly
of Asparagus and the Asparagaceae.[1]
Physical Description
Species Asparagus densiflorus
Subshrubs hermaphroditic . Stems ± climbing , branched, to 1 m ; branches distinctly striate-ridged. Cladodes in fascicles of 1--5, linear , 1--3 cm × 1.5--2.5 mm, flat. Leaf spur spinescent ; spine slightly hooked , 3--5 mm and sharp on main stems , very short and not sharp on branches, woody. Inflorescences developing after cladodes, solitary or paired , axillary , each a many-flowered raceme or panicle 2--2.5 cm; bracts linear, 2--5 mm. Pedicel ca. 2 mm, articulate at middle . Perianth white; segments oblong-ovate, ca. 2 mm. Stamens shorter than perianth; anthers minute. Berry red, 8--10 mm in diam., 1- or 2-seeded. Fl. throughout year. 2 n = 40, 60. [source]
Flowers: Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: near white, white
Size/Age/Growth
Size: 18-24" tall.
Habitat
Commonly cultivated and occasionally becoming naturalized [native to S Africa][2].
Biology
Growth
Culture: Space 36-48" apart.
Soil: Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.5
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Dicotyledons
- Subclass:
Liliidae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Superorder:
Lilianae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Order:
Asparagales
()
- Bromhead, 1838
- Suborder:
Asparagineae
()
-
- Family:
Asparagaceae
()
- A.L. de Jussieu, 1789, nom. cons.
- Subfamily:
Asparagoideae
()
- Genus:
Asparagus
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1753
- Asparagus-fern [Greek asparasso, to rip, alluding to the spiny leaves of some species]
- Specific epithet:
densiflorus
- (Kunth) Jessop
- Botanical name: - Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop
- Specific epithet:
densiflorus
- (Kunth) Jessop
- Genus:
Asparagus
(
- Subfamily:
Asparagoideae
(
- Family:
Asparagaceae
(
- Suborder:
Asparagineae
(
- Order:
Asparagales
(
- Superorder:
Lilianae
(
- Subclass:
Liliidae
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Synonyms
Asparagopsis densiflora Kunth • Asparagus sprengeri Regel. • Enum. Pl. 5: 96. 1850 • Protasparagus Densiflorus
Notes
Publishing author
: Jessop Publication
: Bothalia ix. 65 (1966)
Basionym
author: (Kunth)
Similar Species
Members of the genus Asparagus
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 52 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:
A. acerosus (Wild Asparagus) · A. acutifolius (Lesser Asparagus) · A. africanus (African Asparagus) · A. aphyllus (Israel Wild Asparagus) · A. asparagoides (African Asparagus Fern) · A. declinatus (Bridal Veil) · A. densiflorus (Asparagus Fern) · A. densiflorus 'Meyersii' (Meyersii Foxtail Fern Asparagus Densiflorus) · A. densiflorus 'Myersii' (Myer's Foxtail Fern) · A. densiflorus 'Sprengeri Compacta' (Compact Sprenger Asparagus Fern) · A. denudatus (Asparagus Fern) · A. draco (Canary Island Dragon Tree) · A. falcatus (Asparagus Fern) · A. filicinus (Fern Asparagus) · A. graminifolius (Lilyturf) · A. macowanii (Ming Fern) · A. officinalis officinalis (Asparagus) · A. officinalis prostratus (Wild Asparagus) · A. officinalis 'Ariane' (Asparagus 'ariane') · A. officinalis 'Bejo 2241' (Asparagus 'bejo 2241') · A. officinalis 'Bejo 2245' (Asparagus 'bejo 2245') · A. officinalis 'Millenium' (Asparagus) · A. officinalis 'Raffaelo' (Asparagus 'raffaelo') · A. officinalis 'Ramires' (Asparagus 'ramires') · A. pyramidalis (Asparagus Fern) · A. racemosus (Indian Asparagus) · A. scandens (Climbing Asparagus) · A. setaceus (Asparagus Fern) · A. tenuifolius (Narrow-Leaved Asparagus) · A. terminalis (Chinese Colli) · A. verticillatus (Climbing Asparagus) · A. virgatus (Broom Fern) · A. 'Apollo' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Atlas' (Asparagus) · A. 'Connover's Colossal' (Asparagus) · A. 'Dariana' (Asparagus) · A. 'French Market' (Asparagus) · A. 'Golia' (Asparagus) · A. 'Grande' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Ida Lea' (Asparagus) · A. 'Jersey Gem' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Jersey Giant' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Jersey King' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Jersey Knight' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Jersey Supreme' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Marte' (Asparagus) · A. 'Martha Washington' (Hybrid Asparagus) · A. 'Mary Washington' (Mary Washington Hybrid Asparagus Asparagus) · A. 'Precoce D'argenteuil' (Asparagus) · A. 'Purple Passion' (Asparagus) · A. 'Theilim' (Asparagus) · A. 'Uc 157' (Hybrid Asparagus)
More Info
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Further Reading
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 52 2005 Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1890- url p. 399.
- Plant Form OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS url p. 127, p. 323, p. 65.
- Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. Washington, etc.: Entomological Society of Washington url p. 598.
- Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Sydney, Linnean Society of New South Wales. url p. 229.
- Cooney-Sovetts, C. and R. Sattler. 1986. Phylloclade development in the Asparagaceae: An example of homoeosis. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 94: 327-371.
- Jessop, J. P. 1966. The genus Asparagus in southern Africa. Bothalia 9: 31-96.
- Malcomber, S. T. and Sebsebe D. 1993. The status of Protasparagus and Myrsiphyllum in the Asparagaceae. Kew Bull. 48: 63-78.
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 31, 2012.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 17, 2007:
- Australian National Herbarium
- , Australian National Herbarium
- Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Virtual Herbarium Darwin Core format
- GBIF-Spain, Jardín Botánico de Córdoba: Herbarium COA
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
- The Swedish Museum of Natural History
- , Herbarium of Oskarshamn
- USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2664479
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Kew-275016
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13789906
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:143347-3
- GRIN Nomen Number: 300048
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 193452
- International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 531072-1
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMLIL08020
- U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ASSP9
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 21454
Footnotes
- Gerald B. Straley & Frederick H. Utech "Asparagus". in Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 20, 50, 53, 54, 213. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
- "Asparagus densiflorus". in Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 210. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
