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Genus: Asparagus
[= Myrsiphyllum, Protasparagus]
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants)
> Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Asparagaceae
This is the only genus in the family Asparagaceae
and has about 120 species, distributed through Africa, Europe and Asia, and has
also been introduced to Australia. A total of 81 species have been recorded from
southern Africa.
The asparagus vegetable that we eat is derived from young
shoots of Asparagus officinalis (asparagus).
However, the shoots of some indigenous southern African species are also eaten.
Species indigenous to southern Africa
List from
Plants
of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).
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Asparagus acocksii
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Asparagus aethiopicus
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Asparagus africanus
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Asparagus aggregatus
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Asparagus alopecurus
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Asparagus angusticladus
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Asparagus asiaticus
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Asparagus asparagoides
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Asparagus aspergillus
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Asparagus bayeri
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Asparagus bechuanicus
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Asparagus biflorus
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Asparagus buchananii
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Asparagus burchellii
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Asparagus capensis
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Asparagus clareae
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Asparagus coddii
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Asparagus concinnus
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Asparagus confertus
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Asparagus cooperi
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Asparagus crassicladus
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Asparagus declinatus
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Asparagus densiflorus
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Asparagus denudatus
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Asparagus devenishii
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Asparagus divaricatus
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Asparagus edulis
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Asparagus exsertus
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Asparagus exuvialis
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Asparagus falcatus
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Asparagus fasciculatus
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Asparagus filicladus
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Asparagus flavicaulis
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Asparagus fourei
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Asparagus fractiflexus
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Asparagus glaucus
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Asparagus graniticus
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Asparagus intricatus
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Asparagus juniperoides
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Asparagus kraussianus
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Asparagus laricinus
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Asparagus lignosus
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Asparagus longicladus
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Asparagus lynnetteae
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Asparagus macowanii
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Asparagus mariae |
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Publications
- Fellingham, A.C. & Meyer, N.L. 1995. New
combinations and a complete list of Asparagus species in southern
Africa (Asparagaceae). Bothalia 25: 205-209.
- Jessop, J. 1966. The genus Asparagus in
southern Africa. Bothalia 9: 31-96.
- Malcomber, S.T. & Sebsebe, D. 1993. The
status of Protasparagus and Myrsiphyllum in the Asparagaceae. Kew
Bulletin 48: 63-78.
- Merxmüller, H. 1970. Asparagus. Prodromus
einer Flora von Südwestafrika 147: 25-32.
- Obermeyer, A.A. 1984. Revision of the genus Myrsiphyllum
Willd. Bothalia 15: 77-88.
- Obermeyer, A.A. & Immelman, K.L. 1992.
Asparagaceae. Flora of Southern Africa 5,3: 11-82.
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