Plant Protection Quarterly VoI.11 (2) 1996 49 Section II: Scientific and technical
Native, naturalized and cultivated Asparagaceae in in the family occurring throughout tropi cal Australia, Indonesia, China, India and Western Australia east Africa to South Africa.
Greg Keighery, Science and Information Division, Department of Naturalized Asparagaceae in WA Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, WA 6065, Asparaglls asparagoides (L.) W. Wight Australia. (bridal creeper or smilax asparagus) (synonym: Myrsipllyllutn asparagoides (L.) Willd.) Summary genera by Huber (1969) and formally This major weed is naturalized widely in The Asparagaceae consists of one large recognised by (Obermeyer 1983, 1984). southern Western Australia, South Aus variable genus, Asparagus with two This latter treatment has been followed in trali a, Victoria, Norfolk and Lord Howe subgenera, Asparagus and Myrsi the Flora of Australia (Clifford and Island and locall y in New South Wales phyllum. The bridal creeper, which is Conran 1987) and in several other taxo and Tasmania. widely naturalized in Western Australia, nomic studies in South Africa. However, a Asparagus declinatJls L. (bridal veil) is Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight. detailed comparison by Malcomber and (synonym: Myrsipllyllum decliIJatmn (L.) The bridal veil, a potentially serious Demissew (1993) of most named taxa of Obenn., Asparagus CriSP"S). weed in the same State, is Asparagus the family found that the characters used There aTe two established populations of dec1inatus L. Since there are over 100 spe in the past to segregate the genera Aspara this weed in Western Australia, one at cies of wild Asparagus in climatically gus, Myrsiphyllum and Protasparagus were Bunbury and one on Mount Eliza in Kings similar regions to southern Western Aus not consistently confined to the segregate Park and Botanic Garden (KPBG) . The tralia, the importation and cultivation of genera. Ovule number overl ap in Bunbury population has been controlled this invasive genus should be discou_c Protasparagus and Asparagus and seed but the KPBG infestation is spreading aged. shape is not genetically fixed but is de (Dixon 1996). Bridal veil is a potentially pendant on the number of seeds develop serious weed in temperate Australia Introduction ing in the fruit. Only fl ower sexuality con (Pheloung and Scott 1996). The Asparagaceae is one of a number of sistently separates Asparagus from the Asparagus officinalis L. (common aspara families recently segregated from the other genera. The presence of staminal gus) Liliaceae by Dahlgren et al. (1985). Mem fil aments connate around the ovary sepa Frequently found persisting around old bers of the family are largely confined to rates Myrsiplryllllnt from Asparagus and market gardens especially in swamps and Africa, Europe and Asia, with only one Protasparagus. MaJcomber and Demissew on river edges, and home sites in the Perth species reaching tropical Australia. Last (1993) considered that these are not ad Metropolitan area. However, the species is revised in the 19th Century, the family equate for generic separation, and they also found spreading along brackish creek Asparagaceae is in need of a thorough re concluded that all species fall within the lines between Northam and Kojonup. A vision, as it is variously considered to con limits of one variable genus, with two similar habitat is noted in New Zealand tain between 120 and 300 species. South subgenera, Asparagus and Myrsi (Healy and Edgar 1980). Although frui ts ern Afri ca is the centre of diversity of the phyllum. with viable seed is produced in these family and members here have been the The subgenus Asparagus has unisexual, Western Australian populations, most subject of several taxonomic studies rarely bisexual fl owers, borne singly or in spread is probably by rhizome fr agmenta Oessop 1966, Obermeyer 1983, 1984, fascicles or racemes, that are pendulous or tion. Currently 13 feral populations have Obermeyer et at. 1992). This paper exam erect, with 1-10 ovules per locule. Spines been documented in southern Western ines the native, naturalized and cultivated are present or absent and the cladodes are Australia. species of Western Australia, where As linear to filiform. The subgenus Myrsi paragus asparagoides l is a major environ phyll um is confined to Southern Africa Cultivated Asparagaceae mental weed. and has bisexual fl owers, borne singly or There aTe 10 taxa recorded as cultivated in in small fascicles, that are pendulous, with the Perth area (Table 1). Most are now Taxonomy 4-10 ovules per loeule. Spines are absent only found in the older suburbs, but four The generic classification of the and the cladodes are often fl attened and Asparagaceae has recently been in a state leaf-like, otherwise linear to filiform This Table 1. Cultivated Asparagaceae of of flu x. The family Asparagaceae is now arrangement is being followed in most re Perth. cent treatments members of the family considered to comprise a single genus As Rare in cultivation (G reen 1994, Rudall and Cutler 1995) and paragus with two subgenera (Asparagus Asparagus acutifolius L. and Myrsiphyllum). These subgenera and is accepted here. Asparagus asparagioides (L. ) W. Wight the genus Protasparagus with its synonym Asparagus crisplls Lamark Asparagopsis, were considered as separate N alive Asparagaceae in W A Asparagus tenuifIortls Lamark Asparagus racemosus Willd. (synonym: Asparagus virgatus Bak. Footnote Protasparaglls racetnosus (Willd.) Common in cultivation I Scientific names for bridal creeper (As Oberm.) paragus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight) and Recorded in the Kimberley region be Asparagus densiflorlls (Knuth.) Jessop bridal veil (A. dedinatus L.) follow the tween the Dampier Peninsula and Asparaglls falent us L. reinstatements of Fellingham and Meyer Kalumburu, largely coastal , but ex tend Asparagus offici"alis L. (1996) for the genus Asparagus in southern ing up to 100 km inland along rivers. This Asparagus setaceus (Kunth.) Jessop Africa. species has the widest geographical range Asparagus verticillatus L. 50 Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.l1(2) 1996 are still widely used by landscape by a LEAP employment project in 1992/93. Monocotyledons'. (Springer-Verlag, designers and are readily available at Berlin). nurseries. Eight of these have been re Weed potential Dixon, l.R. (1996). Control of bridal corded as casual adventives and four have Clifford and Conran (1987) list Asparagus creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) and the become naturalized. africanus (Protasparagus africanus) as natu distribution of Asparagus declinatus in ralized in Queensland and Asparagus Kings Park bushland, 1991- 1995. Pro Garden Escapes scandens (Myrsiphyllum scandens) natural ceedings of the bridal creeper sympo Asparagus virgatus Baker (voucher: ized in New South Wales and Victoria. sium held at CALM, Perth, October 24 Keighery 14243) with bisexual flowers Asparagus afrieanus is regarded as a seri 1995, eds. j.P. Pigott, D.L. Lamont, G.j. and a woody rhizome has established ous weed in Queensland (Conran and Keighery. Plant Protection Quarterly 11 , along several creek lines in the Forster 1986). Neither of these species are 61-3. Mundaring, Oarlington-Kalamunda area. known to be established in Western Aus Fellingham, A.c. and Meyer, N.L. (1996). This species sets abundant seed, but tralia. New combinations and a complete list mainly spreads by long rhizomes. Re Currently Asparagus african us, A. of Asparagus species in southern Africa corded as naturalized in Queensland densiflorus, A. seandens and A. setaceus are (Asparagaceae). Bothalia 25, 205-9. (Clifford and Conran 1987). actual or potential serious weeds of the Green, P.S. (1994). Liliaceae. Flora Aus Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop summer rainfall areas of Australia. As tralia 49, Oceanic Islands 1, 502-13.