Taxon:  Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce



Summary
Genus:
Asparagus
Family:
Asparagaceae
Subfamily:
Asparagoideae
Nomen number:
4494
Place of publication:
Rep. Bot. Exch. Club Soc. Brit. Isles 3:414.  1914 (Century Dict. 12(suppl.):845, sub Myrsiphyllum. 1909, nom. inval.)
Comment:
authorship often credited to W. Wight in Century Dict., but there Asparagus asparagoides appears under (Asparagus subg.) Myrsiphyllum without citation of basionym or ascription of authorship
Verified:
11/08/1999 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
12 (4  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Medeola asparagoides L.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Elide asparagoides (L.) Kerguélen
Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Asparagus medioloides (L. f.) Thunb.
Dracaena medeoloides L. f.

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Flora of Australia. Online version.
  2. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  3. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  4. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  5. Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62 Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
  6. Batchelor, K. L. & J. K. Scott. 2006. Review of the current taxonomic status and authorship for Asparagus weeds in Australia. Pl. Protect. Quart. 21:129.
  7. Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce; = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
  8. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
  9. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  10. Fellingham, A. C. & N. L. Meyer. 1995. New combinations and a complete list of Asparagus species in southern Africa (Asparagaceae). Bothalia 25:206. Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight
  11. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  12. George, A. S., ed. 1987. Flora of Australia. 45:163. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
  13. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  14. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  15. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  16. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
  17. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  18. Kanno, A. & J. Yokoyama. 2011. Chapter 3. Asparagus. In: Kole, C., ed., Wild crop relatives: genomic and breeding resources, vegetables 23-42.
  19. Keighery, G. 1996. Native, naturalized and cultivated Asparagaceae in Western Australia. Pl. Protect. Quart. 11(2):49-50.
  20. Kleinjan, C. A. & P. B. Edwards. 1999. A reappraisal of the identification and distribution of Asparagus asparagoides in southern Africa. S. African J. Bot. 65:23-31.
  21. Kubota, S. et al. 2012. Molecular phylogeny of the genus Asparagus (Asparagaceae) explains interspecific crossability between the garden asparagus (A. officinalis) and other Asparagus species. Theor. Appl. Genet. 124:345.
  22. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight
  23. Obermeyer, A. A. 1984. Revision of the genus Myrsiphyllum Willd. Bothalia 15:78. Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce; = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
  24. Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
  25. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  26. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  27. Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986-2000. European garden flora. Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
  28. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishbridal-creeper  1Keighery, G. 1996. Native, naturalized and cultivated Asparagaceae in Western Australia. Pl. Protect. Quart. 11(2):49-50.
Englishbridal-veil-creeper  1Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
Englishgnarboola  1Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
Englishsmilax  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight
Englishsmilax asparagus  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight
Swedishmedeola  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaLesotho  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaEastern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaFree State Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaGauteng Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaLimpopo Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaMpumalanga Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaNorthern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaNorth-West Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaWestern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
2Cultivated    also cult.Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalAzores Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaNew ZealandNew Zealand  Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItalySicilia Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFranceCorse Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSouthwestern U.S.A.United StatesCalifornia FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentina  Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaUruguay  Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Native
Africa
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape]
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Azores, Madeira Islands]
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
  • NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Italy [Sicilia]
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: France [Corse], Portugal
Northern America
  • SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]
Southern America
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Uruguay

Reference(s)
  1. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  2. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  3. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  4. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  5. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  6. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  7. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  8. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
  9. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
Environmentalornamental Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce
Environmentalornamental Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed a major weedKeighery, G. 1996. Native, naturalized and cultivated Asparagaceae in Western Australia. Pl. Protect. Quart. 11(2):49-50.
Weed a minor weed in AustraliaParsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=4494. Accessed 15 April 2026.