Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

300 ASPARAGACEAE
Fig. 131. Asparagus racemosus, from Bale floristic region.
Asparagus racemosus
Description
Habitat and
distribution
8. Asparagus racemosus Willdenow
The specific epithet ‘racemosus’ refers to the racemose
inflorescence. The species was described by Willdenow
in 1799 from material he had collected in India. The
species is distinguished from other indigenous species
with racemose inflorescences by the elongate lax
racemes, 1.5–10 cm long, and by the persistent flowers
on the pedicels that are articulated in the mid or below.
Climbing shrub to 7 m high. Branches terete, lined or angled,
glabrous with spines 2–3 mm long in young parts, to 5–8 mm long
in older. Cladodes fasciculate, 2–6 together, subulate to flattened,
8–35(–40) × 0.5–0.7 mm. Inflorescence racemose 1.5–17 cm long,
glabrous; racemes solitary or fascicled; pedicel 4–6 mm long
(elongating to 10 mm long in fruit), articulated at the mid or below.
Bracts ovate, concave, 2.5– 4 mm long, glabrous, membranous,
sometimes falling quickly. Perianth greenish white to white, (3–)4–
5 mm long. Stamens shorter than the perianth parts; anthers orange
to red. Ovary obovate 3­locular, 6–7 ovules in each locule; style c.
1 mm long with a 3­branched stigma. Fruit green, turning red at
maturity, 8–10(–13) mm in diameter, commonly with one, rarely
2–3 seeds.
The species grows in forests, valley bottoms, and along
streams, between 1350 and 3100 m in Tigray, Gonder,
Gojam, Kefa, Shewa, Arsi, Wellega, Sida mo, Bale, and