LILIACEAE - China

cartilaginous denticulate; branches strongly reflexed basally,ascending distally; branchlets ± cartilaginous denticulate. Cladodesin fascicles of 5–8, usually appressed to branches, filiform,0.7–1.8 cm × ca. 0.3 mm, irregularly grooved. Leaf spurslightly spinescent; spine 1–3 mm on main stems, indistincton branches. Inflorescences developing after cladodes. Flowersof both sexes paired; pedicel 1.2–1.6 cm. Male flowers: perianthyellowish green, usually tinged with pale purple, campanulate,6–8 mm; filaments adnate to perianth segments for ca.1/2 their length. Female flowers: perianth 2.5–3.5 mm. Berry 6–7 mm in diam., 3–5-seeded. Fl. May, fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 30*.Grassy slopes, roadsides,field margins, waste lands; near sea levelto 2100 m. Hebei, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shanxi [Mongolia, Russia (ESiberia)].26. Asparagus oligoclonos Maximowicz, Mém. Acad. Imp.Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans 9: 286. 1859.南 玉 带 nan yu daiAsparagus oligoclonos var. purpurascens X. J. Xue & H.Yao; A. tamaboki Yatabe.Herbs dioecious. Roots 2–3 mm thick, rather slender.Stems erect, 40–80 cm, sometimes slightly striate; branchesrather rigid, striate. Cladodes in fascicles of 5–12, 1–3 cm × ca.0.5 mm, subterete, slightly flattened, irregularly grooved. Leafspur short or indistinct, rarely shortly spinescent. Inflorescencesdeveloping after cladodes. Flowers of both sexes solitary orpaired; pedicel (1–)1.5–2 cm. Male flowers: perianth yellowishgreen, campanulate, 7–9 mm; filaments adnate to perianthsegments for ca. 3/4 their length; anthers ca. 2 mm. Femaleflowers: perianth ca. 3 mm. Berry 8–10 mm in diam. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 20.Forests, meadows, moist places; near sea level to 500 m. Hebei,Heilongjiang, Henan, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong [Japan, Korea, Mongolia,Russia (Far East, Siberia)].27. Asparagus officinalis Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 313. 1753.石 刁 柏 shi diao baiAsparagus officinalis var. altilis Linnaeus; A. polyphyllusSteven.Herbs dioecious.Roots 2–3 mm thick, rather slender.Stemssuberect, to 1 m, usually slightly pendent apically; branchessoft. Cladodes in fascicles of 3–6, 0.5–3 cm × ca. 0.4 mm, subterete,slightly flattened, irregularly grooved. Leaf spur slightlyspinescent or indistinct. Inflorescences developing after cladodes.Flowers of both sexes solitary of in clusters of 2–4; pedicel0.8–1.2(–1.4) cm. Male flowers: perianth yellowish green,campanulate, 5–6 mm; filaments adnate to perianth segmentsfor ca. 1/2 their length; anthers 1–1.5 mm. Female flowers:perianth ca. 3 mm. Berry red, 7–8 mm in diam., 2- or 3-seeded.Fl. May–Jun, fr. Aug. 2n = 20*, 40.Steppes. NW Xinjiang [Kazakstan, Mongolia, Russia; NW Africa,C and SW Asia, Europe, widely cultivated elsewhere].A very variable species; some cultivars are grown as a vegetablein China.28. Asparagus neglectus Karelin & Kirilov, Bull. Soc. Imp.Naturalistes Moscou 14: 750. 1841.新 疆 天 门 冬 xin jiang tian men dongHerbs dioecious. Roots slender. Stems suberect, denselybranched, to 1 m, usually slightly striate, usually covered withstripelike remains of whitish, hyaline periderm when old;branches slightly striate when young. Cladodes usually in fasciclesof 7–25, filiform, 0.5–1.7 cm × ca. 0.3 mm, irregularlygrooved, usually several fascicles at each node of stem. Leafspur slightly spinescent; spine 2–3 mm on main stems, veryshort or indistinct on branches. Inflorescences developing aftercladodes. Flowers of both sexes solitary or paired; pedicel 1–1.5 cm. Male flowers: perianth campanulate, 5–7 mm;filaments adnate to perianth segments for ca. 1/2 theirlength. Female flowers: perianth ca. 3 mm. Berry red, 6–7 mmin diam., 1–3-seeded. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Aug.Thickets, grassy slopes, river banks, sandy flats of rivers; 600–1700 m. N Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Kazakstan, Mongolia, Pakistan,Russia (E Siberia), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].One of us (Tamanian) notes that Asparagus neglectus is very similarto, and may be synonymous with, A. trichophyllus.29. Asparagus acicularis F. T. Wang & S. C. Chen in S. C.Chen, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16(1): 93. 1978.山 文 竹 shan wen zhuHerbs dioecious. Roots 2–4 mm thick basally, thickeningtoward tip. Stems climbing, to 1 m or more; branches slender.Cladodes in fascicles of 3–7, needlelike, 6–12(–15) × ca. 0.3mm, irregularly grooved. Leaf spur spinescent; spine 4–6 mmon main stems, 1–2 mm on branches, woody, sharp. Inflorescencesdeveloping with cladodes. Male flowers: paired; pedicel4–5 mm, articulate at middle; perianth greenish white, subglobose,ca. 2 mm in diam.; filaments free. Berry 5–6 mm indiam., usually 1-seeded. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug.Thickets, grasslands, lake margins; near sea level to 200 m.Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi.30. Asparagus kansuensis F. T. Wang & Tang ex S. C. Chen,Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16(1): 94. 1978.甘 肃 天 门 冬 gan su tian men dongSubshrubs dioecious. Roots with subterminal tuber 2–3 cmthick. Stems erect, much branched, 17–27 cm, densely noded;stem and branches striate-ridged, ridges cartilaginous denticulate.Cladodes in fascicles of (3–)5–10, needlelike, 5–8 × ca. 0.4mm, irregularly grooved. Leaf spur spinescent; spine spreadinghorizontally, straight, 2–5 mm on main stems, slightly shortertoward base of plant, slender, sharp. Inflorescences developingafter cladodes. Flowers of both sexes solitary or paired; pedicelca. 1 mm. Male flowers: perianth campanulate, 2–2.5 mm; filamentsadnate to perianth segments for ca. 1/4 their length. Fl.Jun.Slopes; 900–1600 m. S Gansu.The tuberous roots are edible.31. Asparagus przewalskyi N. A. Ivanova ex Grubov & T. V.Egorova, Rast. Tsent. Azii, Mater. Bot. Inst. Komarova 7: 81.1977.