Asparagus aethiopicus L.

Asparagaceae

Linnaeus, C. (1767) Mantissa Plantarum 1: 63

Asparagus Fern; Sprengers Fern

Scandent shrub or sprawling herb with stems to 2m long. Buds and stems hairless.

Leaves reduced to small veinless scales subtending axillary leaf-like stems (cladodes) that are grouped 2-5 in axils of scale leaves; cladodes flattened, linear or narrow elliptical; apex rounded and shortly apiculate, appearing one-veined, hairless.

In axillary racemes to 10cm long; bisexual, actinomorphic, 3-merous; tepals 6, white to pink; stamens 6, shortly exserted; ovary superior, 3-locular.

A fleshy globose berry to 8mm diameter, red; seed one to a few.

Not available.

An introduced species originally from southern Africa, now naturalised in NEQ, CEQ and southwards to New South Wales and southern Australia. Usually grows on rain forest edges or in disturbed areas in rain forest.

Protasparagus aethiopicus (L.) Oberm., South African Journal of Botany 2: 244 (1983). Asparagus sprengeri Regel, Trudy Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago Botaniceskago Sada 11: 302 (1890). Asparagus aethiopicus ‘Sprengeri’, Pickard, J. in Recher, H.F. & Clark, S.S., Environmental Survey of Lord Howe Island: 78-79 (1974).

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