Biology:Asparagus rubicundus
| Asparagus rubicundus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asparagoideae |
| Genus: | Asparagus |
| Species: | A. rubicundus
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| Binomial name | |
| Asparagus rubicundus P.J.Bergius (1767)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Asparagus rubicundus ("red-stemmed asparagus") is a fluffy, thorny shrub of the Asparagus genus, that is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa .[1][2][3]
Description
This species of Asparagus grows as a thorny bush, to a height of 1,5 metres.
Stems are erect, round, smooth, shiny and have a distinctive dark-brown colour.
At each node along a stem, below the branch, there is a single, recurved-spreading (max.6mm) thorn.
The numerous, thread-like leaves are in feathery tufts of about 10. Individual leaves are small (3-7mm), linear-cylindrical, slightly curved, and slightly broader towards their tips.
The flowers (March–June) are white, usually solitary, and have brown stamens. The berries are reddish or black, each with a single seed.[4]
The young shoots of this plant are edible, like those of commercial asparagus.[5]
Related species
This species is part of a group of closely related African Asparagus species, including Asparagus lignosus, Asparagus concinnus and Asparagus microraphis.[6]
Distribution
It occurs throughout the southern and western Cape, as far north as Namibia, and as far east as Uitenhage. It is usually found in coarse sandy, clay or granite-based soil in fynbos or renosterveld vegetation and coastal sand plains.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Asparagus rubicundus P.J.Bergius. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ↑ "Asparagus rubicundus (Family: Asparagaceae)". http://www.greenplanet.co.za/plant.php?plant=404.
- ↑ Asparagus rubicundus PlantZAfrica
- ↑ "Asparagus rubicundus | PlantZAfrica". http://pza.sanbi.org/asparagus-rubicundus.
- ↑ "Medicinal plants of Fernkloof Nature Reserve". http://fernkloof.com/medicinal-plants.mv.
- ↑ Maria F Norup, Gitte Petersen, Sandie Burrows, Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi, Jim Leebens-Mack, J Chris Pires, H Peter Linder, Ole Seberg. (2015). Evolution of Asparagus L. (Asparagaceae): Out-of-South-Africa and multiple origins of sexual dimorphism. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 92: 25-44.
Further reading
- Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million.. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11892.
Wikidata ☰ Q4807696 entry
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