Asparagus rubicundus, known as the red-stemmed asparagus, is a fluffy, thorny shrub of the Asparagus genus, that is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.Asparagus rubicundus PlantZAfrica
Description
This species of Asparagus grows as a thorny bush, to a height of 1,5 metres.
Stems are erect, round, smooth, shiny and have a distinctive dark-brown colour.
At each node along a stem, below the branch, there is a single, recurved-spreading (max.6mm) thorn.
The numerous, thread-like leaves are in feathery tufts of about 10. Individual leaves are small (3-7mm), linear-cylindrical, slightly curved, and slightly broader towards their tips.
The flowers (March–June) are white, usually solitary, and have brown stamens. The berries are reddish or black, each with a single seed.
The young shoots of this plant are edible, like those of commercial asparagus.
Related species This species is part of a group of closely related African Asparagus species, including Asparagus lignosus, Asparagus concinnus and Asparagus microraphis.Maria F Norup, Gitte Petersen, Sandie Burrows, Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi, Jim Leebens-Mack, J Chris Pires, H Peter Linder, Ole Seberg. (2015). Evolution of Asparagus L. (Asparagaceae): Out-of-South-Africa and multiple origins of sexual dimorphism. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 92: 25-44.
Distribution
It occurs throughout the southern and western Cape, as far north as Namibia, and as far east as Uitenhage. It is usually found in coarse sandy, clay or granite-based soil in fynbos or renosterveld vegetation and coastal sand plains.
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Further reading