Asparagus asparagoides Wight   Liliaceae (Lily Family)   South Africa   Smilax

                                    February Photo

Plant characteristics: Perennial, tall, much-branched glabrous vine, climbing by twining, with a cluster of tuberous roots; cladodes ovate, sharp-pointed, about 2.5 cm. long, stiffish, shining, strongly many-veined; fls. 1 or 2 to a scale or true leaf, greenish-white, about 9 mm. long, on very slender pedicels of nearly or quite equal length; ovary 3-celled; pistil one with 3-lobed stigma; berry dark purple, about 6 mm. in diam., with 1-3 seeds; seeds globular, black.

Habitat:  Plant in well-drained soil in partial shade.  Will thrive in sun near the coast.  Plant dies back in the summer, coming back from roots with fall rains.  Self-sows readily.  (Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book, 1984. 190).  Native of South Africa.  (Bailey 215).

Name:  Asparagus, the ancient Greek name.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 920).  Asparagoi-des, asparagus-like.  (Bailey 11).  Greek, asparagos, ancient name for the asparagus.  Greek, oides a contraction of -o+eidos, denoting likeness of form.  (Jaeger 28, 112).  Asparagoides, like asparagus.  The plant does not resemble table asparagus at all.  (my comment).

General:  Since it was first found in 1992, this plant has increased its range to include all of the low lying areas below Eastbluff North.  It is now very common in the area.  (my comments 2003).      About 150 species, from Siberia to S. Africa, one everywhere grown for food and a few others common as ornamental plants.  (Bailey 215).       Naturalized.  (Hickman, Ed. 1359).      Comparison of the DNA sequences for various genes, usually those found in the chloroplast of the plant cell has led biologists to propose many changes in the plant families as they are now known.  It is proposed to move the genus Asparagus from Liliaceae to Asparagaceae.  (Kelch, Dean G. “Consider the Lilies” FREMONTIA, A Journal of the California Native Plant Society Vol. 30 No. 2 April 2002 pp. 23-29).

Text Ref:  Bailey 215; Hickman, Ed. 1179; Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book, 1984. 190.

Photo Ref:  May-July 92 # 8,9,15; Feb 94 # 5A; Aug 83-Mar 94 # 15A; Oct 02-Mar 03 # 7.

Identity: by John Johnson.

First Found: May 1992.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 436.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004.

Last edit  8/6/05.

                        February Photo                                                      May Photo