Asparagus retrofractus: Difference between revisions

Asparagus retrofractus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Asparagoideae
Genus:	Asparagus
Species:	A. retrofractus
Binomial name
	Asparagus retrofractus; L.

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Asparagus retrofractus ("Ming Asparagus fern") is a shrub of the Asparagus genus that is indigenous to the western regions of South Africa.

Description[edit]

A large, spreading, tangled shrub. Asparagus retrofractus has long scrambling-climbing, light-grey, zig-zagged stems.

The bases of the stems are erect, thick and silver-coloured.

The tips of the stems and the outer branches are slender, silver and zig-zagged. It lacks spines on its outer (final) branches, but sometimes has some highly recurved spines on its main branches.

Older stems lose their silver, grooved outer covering, and become brown and smooth.

The leaves are linear or needle-like, 10-30mm long, arcuate and appear in gracile tufts.

The fruits are small (7mm diameter), stalked, pendulous green berries, becoming orange when ripe. The roots are fibrous.^[1]

Distribution[edit]

This species is indigenous to the dry, western regions of South Africa. It occurs from Namibia in the north, across the Northern Cape Province, as far south as Cape Town, Caledon, Worcester and Montagu, in the western (winter rainfall) portion of the Western Cape Province. It favours rocky, sandy habitats, and is especially common in river valleys.^[2]

References[edit]

^ Obermeyer, A.A. & Immelman, K.L, (1992). Flora of southern Africa, Volume 5, Part 3: 59, 60. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
^ 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.

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[1] Obermeyer, A.A. & Immelman, K.L, (1992). Flora of southern Africa, Volume 5, Part 3: 59, 60. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

[2] 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.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Species of shrub}}
 {{Speciesbox
 |image = Asparagus Retrofractus.jpg
@@ Line 5: / Line 6: @@
 }}
-'''''Asparagus retrofractus''''' is a shrub of the ''[[Asparagus (genus)|Asparagus]]'' genus that is indigenous to the western regions of [[South Africa]].
+'''''Asparagus retrofractus''''' ('''"Ming Asparagus fern"''') is a shrub of the ''[[Asparagus (genus)|Asparagus]]'' genus that is indigenous to the western regions of [[South Africa]].
 ==Description==
+A large, spreading, tangled shrub.
-It has fibrous roots, and scrambling-climbing, light-grey, zig-zagged stems.
+''Asparagus retrofractus'' has long scrambling-climbing, light-grey, zig-zagged stems.
+The bases of the stems are erect, thick and silver-coloured.
-It lacks spines on its outer branches, but has some recurved spines near its base.
+The tips of the stems and the outer branches are slender, silver and zig-zagged.
+It lacks spines on its outer (final) branches, but sometimes has some highly recurved spines on its main branches.
+Older stems lose their silver, grooved outer covering, and become brown and smooth.
-The leaves are linear or needle-like, 10-30mm long, arcuate and appear in tufts.<ref>Obermeyer, A.A. & Immelman, K.L, (1992). ''Flora of southern Africa'', Volume 5, Part 3: 59, 60. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.</ref>
+The leaves are linear or needle-like, 10-30mm long, arcuate and appear in gracile tufts.
-==Distribution==
-This species is indigenous to the dry, western regions of [[South Africa]]. It occurs across the [[Northern Cape Province]], and extends as far south as [[Cape Town]], Caledon, Worcester and Montagu, in the western (winter rainfall) portion of the [[Western Cape Province]].<ref>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.</ref>
+The fruits are small (7mm diameter), stalked, pendulous green berries, becoming orange when ripe. The roots are fibrous.<ref>Obermeyer, A.A. & Immelman, K.L, (1992). ''Flora of southern Africa'', Volume 5, Part 3: 59, 60. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.</ref>
+==Distribution==
+This species is indigenous to the dry, western regions of [[South Africa]]. It occurs from [[Namibia]] in the north, across the [[Northern Cape Province]], as far south as [[Cape Town]], Caledon, Worcester and Montagu, in the western (winter rainfall) portion of the [[Western Cape Province]].
-{{commons category}}
+It favours rocky, sandy habitats, and is especially common in river valleys.<ref>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.</ref>
 ==References==
+{{Commons category}}
 {{Reflist}}
+{{Taxonbar|from=Q15532304}}
-{{taxonbar}}
 [[Category:Asparagus|retrofractus]]
-[[Category:Flora of the Cape Provinces]]
+[[Category:Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces]]
 [[Category:Creepers of South Africa]]
 [[Category:Renosterveld]]
-{{Asparagales-stub}}
+{{Asparagaceae-stub}}