Vegetative key to the families
Vegetative Key Vegetative key to the families
LEAVES REDUCED TO SCALES ON THE AERIAL STEMS
Chlorophyll present (some root parasites with a yellowish tinge in the cladodes)
Scale-leaves all bearing leaf-like cladodes in the axils Asparagaceae
Cladodes flat, most more than 1 mm wide
Tepals free. Scales spine-like or with spines in the axils. Cladodes linear, flattened, 15–25 mm long, 2–3 mm wide. Scales with axillary spines. Flowers in racemes. Roots with tubers. Berry orange to red. A weed in bushland near towns. Introd. from S. Africa. Fl. summer. Asparagus Fern Asparagus aethiopicus
Tepals shortly united. Scales membranous, without spines in the axils