780 ASPAllAGACE.^. (ASPARAGUS FAMILY.) 



.utrorbe. Ovary o-celled, with '2-X) ovules in each cell: style straight, 

 iiliform; stigma o-lobecl. Berry succulent, 3-celled, or by abortion 1- 

 celled. Seeds globular or triquetrous — Perennial herbs or branching- 

 shrubs. The leaves reduced to scales, often produced into a spur or 

 prickle at base. The sterile branches (cladodia) clustered in the axils, 

 or rarely solitai-y. Flowers by abortion dioecious or polygamous, rarely 

 hermaphrodite, borne on jointed pedicels. 



* Cladodia clustered. 



1. A. Palaestiiiii§. Baker. 2i! .6 to 1; stem flexuous ; branches 

 spreading or reflexed. Leaves not spurred. Cladodia 3-8, stihdate, .01 to 

 .014 long, slender, pedicels solitary, twice as long as flower ; perigonium 

 liemisplicrkal — Spring - Jordan Valley and around Dead Sea; Jaffa. 



2. A, IjOiviiei, Baker. 2f .6 to 1 or more; stem flexuous; 

 branches spreading or reflexed. Leaves not spurred. Cladodia 4-8, 

 setaceous, .015 to .024 long, flaccid. Pedicels ticin, twice and a half as 

 long as flower ; perigonium funnel-shaijcd — Spring — Near Jericho 

 (Lowne). Probably a variety of the last. 



3. A. acutifolius, L. 5 Salyfin. .5 to 1, intricately branched, 

 the branches and twigs striate, telxety. Loicer leaves spurred at base. 

 Cladodia 4-13, clustered, divergent, subulate, rigid, 7iearly equal, .003 

 to .008 long, mucronate. Peduncles 1-3; divisions of perianth nearly 

 equal; filaments alout ticice as long as anther; berry black, .005 in 

 diameter — Autumn — Dry places; coast to middle mountain regions. 

 The young shoots are brought to market, and used as food like tlic 

 cultivated Asparagus. 



4. A. apliyllus, L. 5 .5 to 1, intricately branched, the branches 

 and twigs spreading, angled, scah'ous. Lower leaves deltoid- sjmrred, 

 at length 2'>rickly. Ctadodia 2-6, clustered, unequal, thick, .005 to .01 

 long, at length prickly. Peduncles 1-3, nodding; inner divisions of 

 perianth shorter, incurved at tip; ^laments one-third longer thQ.Ti anther; 

 berry black, .005 in diameter — Autumn — Dry places; coast to middle 

 mountain regions. Too near the last. 



* * Cladodia usually solitary. 



5. A. stipiilaris, Forsk. 11 Stems erect, intricately branched, 

 climbing over hedges; branches angled-grooved. Loicer leaves produced 

 at hase into sJiort p)ricld€8. Cladodia thick, .0015 to .003 in diameter, 

 solitary or 1-3 in a cluster, .01 to .05 long, spreading, p)rickly-tip2)ed. 

 Peduncles 1-3, once and a half as long as flower; divisions of perianth 

 alike; berry a little smaller than apea— Spring— Coast; Jordan Yalley. 



Var. l>racliyclaflo§, Boiss. Cladodia .01 or less. 



3. RUSCrS, Tourn. Ruscus. 



Flowers dioecious. Perigonium greenish, marcescent, 0-parted, the 

 eegments at length spreading, the interior narrower, covered in the bud. 

 Staminate Jlotcers. Stamens 3, connate into an ovate tubule, at the 

 Mpex of which are three anthers with divergent cells. Pistillate Jlotcers. 

 Filaments connate in a tubule surrounding the pistil, destitute of an- 

 thers. Ovary sessile, 3-celled, with 3 ovules in each cell; style short, 



