Asparagus virgatus Baker

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Cecil Kop NR, Mutare

Photo: Bart Wursten
Jill Wylie's Nature Sanctuary, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Path from carpark to Inyangombe Falls

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Synonyms:	Asparagus virgatus Baker var. capillaris Baker Protasparagus virgatus (Baker) Oberm.
Common names:	Broom asparagus (English)
Frequency:	Frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Stiff, erect herbaceous subshrub up to 1 m. The thin straight stems are unarmed, the fern-like spreading branches curve upwards. The thread-like cladodes are few, normally maturing after flowering. Flowers solitary, pendulous along the branches; fruit a red berry.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	virgatus: twiggy
Habitat:	Near streams and rivers, edges of grassland, roadsides and secondary forest.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 2250 m
Flowering time:	Sep - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Eswatini and South Africa.
Zimbabwe distribution:	C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Wednesday 22 July 2015
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 290. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7. Demissew, S. (2008). Asparagaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1) Pages 4 - 5. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 58 - 59. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 86. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 107. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 104 - 105. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 115. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 24. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 49. as Protasparagus virgatus Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 81.

Other sources of information about Asparagus virgatus:

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Flora of Botswana: Asparagus virgatus
Flora of Malawi: Asparagus virgatus
Flora of Mozambique: Asparagus virgatus
Flora of Zambia: Asparagus virgatus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Asparagus virgatus
African Plant Database: Asparagus virgatus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Asparagus virgatus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Asparagus virgatus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Asparagus virgatus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Asparagus virgatus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Asparagus virgatus
JSTOR Plant Science: Asparagus virgatus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Asparagus virgatus
Plants of the World Online: Asparagus virgatus
Tropicos: Asparagus virgatus
Wikipedia: Asparagus virgatus