Asparagaceae
Asparagus

Asparagus africanus Lam.

First published in Encycl. 1: 295 (1783)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula, W. India. It is a scrambling shrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Flora Zambesiaca Asparagaceae by Sebsebe Demissew

Reference
Protasparagusafricanus (Lam.) Oberm. in S. Afr. J. Bot. 2: 243 (1983); in F.S. 5(3): 35 (1992).
Morphology General Habit
Erect or scandent shrub, 0.5–3(5) m high.
Morphology Stem
Stems many, pubescent or glabrous, smooth, green with spreading branches and branchlets.
Morphology General Spines
Spines straight or reflexed, sharp, 5–10 mm long.
Morphology Stem Cladodes
Cladodes 3–12 per fascicle, filiform, slightly curved, apiculate, unequally long, 5–15(20) mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 2–8 in each cladode fascicle; pedicels 5–10 mm long, articulated in lower half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals narrowly obovate, 2.5–4 mm long, whitish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens with small yellow anthers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 4 ovules per locule, obovoid; style and stigmas very short.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry 5–6 mm in diameter, orange to red.
[FZ]

Liliaceae, F. N. Hepper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Erect herb 3-5 ft. high with numerous spiny branches
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish white
Ecology
Occurring in clumps in moist sandy savanna.
[FWTA]

Asparagaceae, Sebsebe Demissew. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Morphology General Habit
Erect or climbing or scrambling shrub to 4 m; branches terete to angled, glabrous to pubescent, with spines 3– 5 mm long; terminal branches with or without spines.
Morphology Stem Cladodes
Cladodes fasciculate, 5– 25, subulate, stiff or flexible, 3– 15 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers in fascicles of 2– 10(– 35), axillary and terminal; bracts lanceolate, ± 1.5 mm long, falling off quickly; pedicels 3– 8(– 10) mm long, articulated below the middle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Tepals white to cream, ± equal, 3– 4 mm long, entire; stamens shorter than the perianth, anthers yellow; ovary 3-locular with 4– 8 ovules in each locule; style 1 mm long, 3-branched.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry red, 5– 6 mm in diameter, 1-seeded.
Figures
Fig. 1:1– 3 (page 7).
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Low erect shrublet or stems climbing or scrambling up to 5 m; branches glabrous to puberulous, terete to angled, with spines 3–5 mm long, the terminal branches without spines
Morphology Stem Cladodes
Cladodes clustered, 5–25 together, subulate, stiff, 3–12 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers clustered, 2–10 together, axillary and terminal; pedicels 3–8 mm long, articulated below the middle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts lanceolate, c. 1.5 mm long, falling off quickly
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals white to pale yellowish, 3.5–5 mm long, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens shorter than tepals; anthers yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 6–8 ovules in each cell; style c. 1 mm long, 3-branched
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry red, 5–6 mm in diam., 1-seeded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds rugose.
Distribution
N1, 2; S2, 3 Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and southwards to South Africa, and in Arabia and eastwards to India.
Ecology
Altitude range 15–2050 m.
[FSOM]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Liliaceae, F. N. Hepper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Trailing or climbing much-branched plant 4-9 ft. high, only the main
Morphology General Spines
Branches bearing acutely reflexed spines
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white.
[FWTA]

Flora Zambesiaca Asparagaceae by Sebsebe Demissew

Distribution
Also in Kenya, Tanzania and Angola.
Ecology
Rocky hillsides with Piliostigma, Sterculia and baobab woodland, dry stream beds and riverine vegetation; 300–1350 m.
Conservation
Conservation notes: Widespread taxon; not threatened.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Common Names

English
Catbush, Sparrowgrass, Wild asparagus

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/