1. Asparagus , Sp. Pl. 1:313 (1753).
By: Rose Shrestha and Krishna K. Shrestha
Taxon Description
Perennial rhizomatous, undershrubs. Roots usually tuberous. Stems grooved or angled, erect or climbing, branched, with cladodes (modified stems) in axils of main stems and branches. Cladodes leaf-like borne in clusters, rarely solitary, green, flat, 3-angled, terete or sub-terete. Leaves reduced to scale-like, spurred, spurs modified into spines. Inflorescences raceme or panicle with axillary cluster of flowers, or rarely solitary. Flowers dioecious or hermaphroditic. Pedicel articulated, subtended by membranous bracteoles. Perianth campanulate, 6-partite segments free or occasionally connate at base. Stamens 6; filaments usually adnate to perianth lobes; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary 3-loculed, ovules 2 or more per locule. Style columnar thick or slender, stigma 3, short and recurved. Fruit a berry. Seeds 1 to few.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 210 species, mainly in the Old World. Seven species in Nepal.
Key to Species
1a Flowers solitary or in pairs ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
b Flowers in racemes or panicles …………………………………………………………….……………………..………………. 6
2a Cladodes filiform, terete or subterete ………………………………………..……………………………………………… 3
b Cladodes angled or flat, in fascicle of 3–10 ………………………………………………………..……………………….. 4
3a Cladodes less than 5 mm. Pedicel 3–5 mm ………………………………………………………. 5. A. penicillatus
b Cladodes more than 5 mm. Pedicel > 10 m ….…………………………………..……………………… *A. officinalis
4a Stems armed. Cladodes in fascicle of 4–10 ………………………………..…………….……………. 7. A. tibeticus
b Stems unarmed. Cladodes in fascicle of 3–6 ……………………………..……………………………………………….. 5
5a Climbing herb. Pedicel, 1–2 mm ……………………………………………………….……………. 4. A. lycopodineus
b Erect herb. Pedicel 8–10 mm …………………………………………………………….……………………… 3. A. filicinus
6a Cladodes terete or subterete, in fascicle of 6–10 .…………………………………………….. 1. A. adscendens
b Cladodes flat or angled, in fascicle of <6 ……………………………………………….…………….……………………..…7
7a Cladodes flat or subtriquetrous, 3–6 mm…………………………………….……….………………..… 2. A. curillus
b Cladodes triangular or triquetrous, >6 mm …………………………….……….…….…………….. 6. A. racemosus
1. Asaparagus adscendens Roxb., Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 2: 153 (1832).
Asparagopsis adscendens (Roxb.) Kunth.; Protasparagus adscendens (Roxb.) Kamble.
Scandent shrubs, base woody, 1–3 m. Roots white, tuberous, 20–30 cm. Stems sparsely armed with recurved to straight spines, 3–10 mm. Cladodes in fascicles of 6–20, filiform, (8–)10–20 X ca. 0.2 mm. Inflorescences axillary, raceme, 4–6 cm, 1–3-flowered. Bracts pale green, triangular-lanceolate, undulate, 2–3 mm, membranous. Flowers bisexual, pedicel 3–5 mm. Tepals white, 6, oblong, ca. 3 X 2 mm. Stamens 6, shorter than tepals, filaments up to 2 mm, attached to the base of perianth, anthers red, oblong, ca. 1 mm. Ovary clavate, 1.5–2 mm, style up to 0.6 mm, stigma 0.2–0.3 mm. Berries red, globose, 4–5 mm in diam. Seeds 1–3 per locule, brown to black, oval to ellipsoid, 3–5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal and W Himalaya.
Altitudinal range: 100–1900 m.
Ecology: Tropical Sal forest.
Flowering: November. Fruiting: February–March.
2. Asparagus curillus Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb., Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 2: 152 (1832).
Asparagopsis curilla (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Kunth; Asparagus nepalensis Baker; Protasparagus curillus (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Kamble
Sub-scandent shrubs or woody climbers, 1–3 m. Roots white-brown, tuberous, (8–)30–80 cm. Stems armed with straight or curved spines, 0.5–2.5 cm. Cladodes in fascicles of 3–8(–12), filiform, 3–6 X 0.5–0.8 mm. Inflorescences simple or branched racemes, 1–8 cm, 10–12-flowered. Bracts pale green-white, lanceolate, 1.2–1.7 mm. Flowers bisexual; pedicel 3–6 mm. Tepals white, 6, campanulate, spreading, 2–3 X ca. 1 mm. Stamens 6, shorter than tepals; filaments equal, ca. 2 mm; anthers yellow, oblong to globose, ca. 0.5 mm. Ovary subglobose, 1.3–1.8 mm; style ca. 2.2 mm; stigma with 3 recurved lobes, 0.2–0.25 mm. Berries red, globose, 3–4 mm in diam. Seeds 1–2 per locule, dark brown to black, round to ellipsoid, 2–3 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya and E Himalaya.
Altitudinal range: 700–2900 m.
Ecology: In shady, moist forest slope.
Flowering: June–September.
Fruiting: February–March
3. Asparagus filicinus Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 49 (1825).
Assparagus filicinus var. brevipes Baker; Protasparagus filicinus (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Kamble.
Herbs or sub-shrubs, 0.5–1 m. Rhizomes brown, roots fasciculated, 2–4 cm. Stems unarmed, much branched, branches striate-ridged. Cladodes in fascicles of 1–6, falcate, 3–15 X 0.6–1 mm. Inflorescences axillary or terminal raceme, 2.5–5 cm, 2–6-flowered. Bracts pale green-white, lanceolate to triangular, ca. 1 mm, membranous, scale-like. Flowers dioecious; pedicel 10–20 mm. Tepals greenish to reddish green, 6, oblong to lanceolate, or campanulate, 2.5–3 X ca. 1 mm. Stamens 6, opposite to tepals; filaments 1.5–2.0 mm; anthers pale yellow, ovate, 1.2–1.4 mm. Ovary subglobose, 1.2–1.8 mm; style 0.2–0.5 mm; stigma 0.2–0.3 mm. Berries deep red to black, globose, 5–8 mm in diam. Seeds 1–3 per locule, black, globose or slightly angular, 1–1.2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 1900-3200 m.
Ecology: In shady and moist forest.
Flowering: June–July. Fruiting: July–August.
4. Asparagus lycopodineus (Baker) F.T.Wang & Tang, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol., Bot. 7: 291 (1937).
Asparagus filicinus var. lycopodineus Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14: 605 (1875); Protasparagus filicinus var. lycopodineus (Baker) Kamble
Straggling herbs, 1–2 m. Roots creamy-white, tuberous, fasciculated, 1.5–2.5 cm. Stems unarmed, smooth or slightly striate, narrowly winged. Cladodes in fascicles of 3–5, flat, linear, and falcate, (3–)5–9 X 0.7–1 mm. Inflorescences developing after cladodes, axillary, 10–20 mm, with solitary or 2—4 flowered. Bracts pale green, ovate, ca. 1 mm, membranous. Flowers monoecious; pedicel 1–1.7 mm. Male flowers: Tepals greenish-white, 6, narrowly campanulate, 3–4 mm. Female flowers; Tepals 6, ca. 2 mm. Stamens 6, filaments unequal, adnate to tepals, 2–3 mm; anthers yellow-green, oblong, ca. 1 mm. Ovary subglobose, 1.3–2 mm; style 0.5–1 mm; stigma 0.2–0.3 mm. Berries orange yellow to red, globose, 5–7 mm in diam. Seeds 1–2 per locule, dark brown to black, ovoid, 1–1.5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma and E Asia.
Altitudinal range: 700–2800 m.
Ecology: In mixed broadleaved forest.
Flowering: June–July.
Fruiting: November–December.
5. Asparagus penicillatus H.Hara, J. Jap. Bot. 49: 134 (1974).
Protasparagus penicillatus (H.Hara) Kamble
Erect or scrambling shrubs, 0.3–0.9(1–2) m. Roots white-brown, tuberous, 6–12 cm. Stems unarmed, densely clustered, branches well spreading, base woody. Cladodes in fascicles of 1–4, filiform, penicillate (brush-like), 3–5 X ca. 0.5 mm. Inflorescences axillary raceme, 1–3 cm, with solitary or 2–6 flowers, in a single cluster. Bracts pale green-white, broadly triangular, ca. 1 mm, membranous. Flowers bisexual; pedicel 7–10 mm. Tepals white, 6, oblanceolate, 3–4 X 1–1.5 mm. Stamens 6, filaments adnate to tepals, 2–2.5 mm; anthers yellow, ovate, ca. 0.5 mm. Ovary subglobose, 1–1.5 mm; style 0.4–0.6 mm; stigma 0.15–0.25 mm. Berries red, globose, 1.5–5 mm in diam. Seeds 1–3 per locule, black, ovoid, ca. 1 mm.
Distribution: Endemic to Nepal.
Altitudinal range: 1900–2500 m.
Ecology: Open rocky slope.
Flowering/ Fruiting: June–July.
6. Asparagus racemosus Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 2: 152 (1799).
Asparagopsis floribunda Kunth.; Asparagus racemosus var. subacerosus Baker; Protasparagus racemosus (Willd.) Oberm.
Erect or slightly scrambling sub-shrubs, 1–2.5(–5) m. Rhizomes creamy-white, roots tuberous, fasciculated, 6–14(–30) cm. Stems slender, erect or weak, angular, armed, 1–2.5(–5) m, base woody, ca. 4–5 cm thick, densely branched, branches striate-ridged. Cladodes in fascicles of (1–)3–8(–11), linear or triquetrous, 6–30 X 0.5–1 mm. Inflorescences axillary raceme or in panicles, 3–10 cm, 6–12-flowered. Bracts white-pale green, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–4 mm, membranous, scale-like. Flowers bisexual; pedicel 3.5–5 mm. Tepals white, 6, obovate to campanulate, lobes spreading, 2–3 X 1–1.2 mm. Stamens 6, shorter than tepals; filaments 2–3 mm; anthers yellow, elliptic-oblong, ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary trigonous, 2–2.5 mm; style 0.6–1 mm, stigma 0.2–0.3 mm. Berries red, globose, 5–8 mm in diam. Seed single occasionally 2 or 3 per locule, dark brown to black, ovoid to globose, 1–2 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Assam-Burma, S Asia, SE Asia, SW Asia; Africa and Australasia.
Altitudinal range: 100–2200 m.
Ecology: Open rocky slope.
Flowering/ Fruiting: June–August.
Fruiting: September
7. Asparagus tibeticus F.T.Wang & S.C.Chen, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16(1): 93 (1978).
Climbing shrubs, 30–60 cm. Roots white, fibrous and fasciculated, up to 60 cm. Stems erect or suberect. Cladodes in fascicles of 4–10, triquetrous, 2–8 X ca. 0.7 mm, flattened with irregular grooves. Inflorescences in axillary cluster, with solitary or 2–4-flowered. Bracts brownish to pale green, triangular, 1.5–3 mm, membranous, scale-like. Flowers bisexual; pedicel 3–4 mm. Tepals pale purple, 6, lanceolate to obovate, with slightly reflexed tips, 3–4 mm. Stamens 6; filaments 2–3 mm; anthers yellow, ovate-oblong, ca. 1 mm. Ovary globose, 1.3–1.6 mm; style 0.5–0.8 mm, stigma 0.2–0.25 mm. Berries red or black, round or slightly oval, 5–7 mm in diam. Seeds 1–2 per locule, black, ovoid, 3–5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal and Tibetan Plateau.
Altitudinal range: 3400–4900 m.
Ecology: Open sunny places.
Flowering: May–June. Fruiting: July.
Exotic species (without description)
- Asparagus officinalis, Sp. Pl. 1: 313 (1753).
Perennial herbs. Native range is Europe, N. Africa to SW Asia. Grown in the outdoor gardens as an ornamental species.