Asparagus retrofractus L.

Zigzag shrub (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Asparagaceae > Asparagus

Characteristics

Scrambler up to ±3 m high, or forming tangled shrubs, bearing dense terminal fascicles of bunched cladodes. Rhizome typical; roots fusiform when young, cylindrical, ±12 mm in diameter and becoming hard with age. Stems hard, with strong bare internodes; nodes usually swollen, bearing primary and, later, secondary branches. Spines basal, short, recurved, reduced or absent above. Branches grey, with ciliate ribbing when young, zigzagging and bearing contracted, reflexed branchlets. Cladodes in dense, terminal, feathery clusters, filiform, ±10-30 mm long, curved, pale to bright yellow-green. Flowers 2-7-nate, inside cladode fascicles; tepals broadly linear, ±3 mm long, inner somewhat wider than outer, white; stalks 5-40 mm long, articulated in lower half. Stamens with orange anthers. Ovary ovoid, attenuated into a short style; stigma 3-lobed. Berry ±1 mm in diameter, orange or pinkish red.
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Scrambler or tangled shrub, up to 3 m high. Stems hard, with strong, bare internodes and swollen nodes, branches grey, ribs ciliate when young, zigzagging. Spines short, recurved basally, reduced or absent above. Cladodes in dense, terminal, feathery fascicles, filiform, curved, pale to bright yellow-green, 10-30 mm long. Flowers 2-7 inside cladode fascicle; stamens with orange anthers; pedicels 5-40 mm long, articulated in lower half. Flowering time Jan.-Apr. Fruit a red berry.
Scrambling, spiny shrub, up to 3 m tall, stems and branches usually zigzagged, grey and ribbed when young, nodes widely spaced, usually swollen, epidermis not peeling, spines short, recurved. Cladodes in feathery fascicles, filiform. Flowers 2-7, clustered in axils, tepals and filaments spreading.
Scrambler, up to ± 3 m high or forming tangled shrubs, bearing dense terminal fascicles of bunched cladodes. Stems zigzag and usually whitish to pale grey. Cladodes filiform, ± 10-30 mm long, pale to bright yellow-green. Flowers white.
Scrambling spiny shrub to 3 m, stems grey and ribbed when young, with spreading spines. Cladodes in feathery fascicles, filiform. Flowers 2-7 in axils, tepals and filaments spreading.
A scrambling spiny shrub. It grows 3 m tall. The stems are zig-zag. There are 2-7 flowers in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a pink to red berry 1 mm across.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support climber
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 3.0
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a subtropical plant.
Light 4-6
Soil humidity 3-5
Soil texture 5-7
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-11

Usage

Uses environmental use medicinal
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 21 - 30
Germination temperacture (C°) 15 - 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -7
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Asparagus retrofractus unspecified picture

Distribution

Asparagus retrofractus world distribution map, present in Australia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:531276-1
WFO ID wfo-0000634429
COL ID HBKF
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Asparagus microphyllus Asparagus retrofractus Asparagopsis retrofracta Asparagus declinatus Protasparagus retrofractus Asparagus africanus var. microphyllus