Asparagus. ] LILIACEZ (Baker), 265 
erect shrub, with slender, glabrous, white, terete main stems; branch- 
lets woody, rather zigzag, ascending, ending in pungent spines ; final 
branchlets very slender, about 3 in. long, arranged in dense’ fascicles 
with a small pungent spine at the base; cladodia 3-6 in a cluster, 
subulate, glabrous, very slender, fragile, deciduous, 1-} in. long; 
flowers produced from the tip of the branchlets only, usually 
1-2-nate ; pedicels as long as the flowers; perianth campanulate, 
tz in. long ; segments oblong, obtuse ; ovules 3-4 in a cell; berry 
small, l-seeded. Bresl. Diss. No. 5; Roem. et Schultes, Syst. Veg. 
vii. 333; Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 617. A. suaveolens, 
Burchell, Travels ii. 226. Asparagopsis stipulacea, triacantha, and 
Zeyheri, Kunth, Enum, v. 91-92. 
Var. 8, A. spinescens (Steud. ex Roem. et Schultes, Syst. Veg. vii. 384) ; 
cladodia more robust, strongly angled, 4-3 in. long. Asparagopsis spinescens, 
Kunth, Enum. v. 93. 
Sourn Arrica: without locality, Sonnerat / Mund ! 
Coast Region: Uitenbage Diy. ; near the Zwartkops River, Zeyher, 4163 ! 
Fort Beaufort Div. ; Koonap, 400-500 ft., Baur, 1079! 
CentraL ReGion: Somerset Div.; near Somerset East, MacOwan, 1774! 
Colesberg Div., Shaw ! 
Kaanari Reaion : Griqualand West ; around Griqua Town, Burchell, 1956! 
and Barkly, near the Vaal River, Nelson, 176! : 
Eastern Recion: Natal; mountain ranges 2000-3000 ft., 30-60 miles from 
pas sea, Sutherland ! and without precise locality, Gerrard, 542! Delagoa Bay, 
us ! 
“This karroid Asparagus is very mischievous to the Angora goat-hair. The 
withered shoots fasten themselves to the long flank-hair, break off, and form an 
inextricable snare. Often the goat, when stretching out his hind foot to scratch, 
catches it in the tangle and fetters himself effectually.”—MacOwan. 
24. A. asiaticus (Linn. Sp. Plant. 313); main stem slender, 
subterete, green, glabrous, sarmentose; main prickles small; branches 
long, slender ; cladodia subulate, rigid, ascending, }—-} in. long, 3-12 - 
in a cluster; flowers axillary, generally 1-4-nate; pedicels } in, long, 
articulated below the middle; perianth campanulate, 3 in. long; 
segments oblong, obtuse, spreading horizontally ; stamens nearly as 
long as the perianth-segments; anthers oblong, 3 the length of the — 
filament ; ovules 5-6 in acell; berry globose, 3 in. diam., 1-seeded. 
Linn. Mant. 366 ; Miller, Dict. edit. viii. No. 8; Bresl. Diss. No. 12; 
Willd. Sp. Plant. ii. 153; Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 618. 
Asparagopsis Willdenowii, Kunth, Enum. v. 86. A. scoparia, 
Kunth, Enum. v. 80. Asparagus rivalis, Burchell, Trav, i. 400. 
A. mitis and scaberulus, A. Rich, Fl. Abyss. ii. 319-820. A. capen- 
sis, Linn. Herb. 
Centra ReGion: Colesberg, Shaw! Aliwal North Div.; banks of the 
Orange River, near Aliwal North, 4300 ft.. Drége, 4481b ! 
KaLawart Rion : Bechuanaland ; Maadji Mountain, Burchell, 2376! Kosi 
Fontein, Burchell, 2587! 
Eastexn Reaion: Natal, Gerrard,70! Delagoa Bay, Bolus / 
Also Tropical Africa and Tropical Asia. 
25. A. africanus (Lam. Encyc. i. 295) ; stems woody, terete, much- 
