Asparagus stipulaceus Lam.

Plants erect, with the stems 'fox-tail' shaped, viz. closely surrounded by very short, spreading, much reduced branches, ±0.5 m high, growing in clumps, very spiny. Rhizome typical; roots cylindrical, ±5 mm in diameter. Stems erect, closely, minutely ribbed and pubescent. Spines ternate, the central occasionally with spinules, the 2 lateral basal spines shorter, divaricate, apex orange or brown. Cladodes on very short innocuous branchlets, usually 3-nate, terete, ±10 mm long, apiculate, greyish green. Flowers apical, 1 or 2, on a minute apical disc, surrounded below by brown, membranous, fimbriate bracts; tepals ±5 mm long. Berry globose, fleshy, red.