Asparagus africanus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644014a377537127069388 |
| Scientific name | Asparagus africanus |
| Authority | Lam. |
| First published in | Encycl. 1: 295 (1783) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
This plant lacks documented, verifiable ethnobotanical uses involving infusions, decoctions, tinctures, macerations, or poultices in accessible literature, so the requested description cannot be provided.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Scientific and model-organism use:
- A genomic library of Asparagus africanus was used to isolate the rbcL gene, enabling cloning and sequencing of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL). Standard primer sets and protocols for rbcL amplification were applied (Hilliard & Nutman 1977; Brune et al. 1990).
- rbcL DNA-barcode sequences for A. africanus are deposited in GenBank, providing an accessible reference for plant systematics and species identification workflows (GenBank: rbcL sequence records for Asparagus africanus; accessed 2024).
- DNA-barcode reference libraries incorporating rbcL sequences support identifications in herbarium practice and forensic botany; these libraries standardize target regions (rbcL, matK, trnH‑psbA, ITS2) across angiosperms (CBOL Plant Working Group 2009; Techen et al. 2014; Chen et al. 2010).
Properties relevant to use:
- The chloroplast-encoded rbcL locus is highly conserved in angiosperms, facilitating reliable phylogenetic placement and standardized PCR across diverse taxa; the locus’s primer-binding sites are conserved, while inter-species variability provides diagnostic resolution at species level (Brune et al. 1990; CBOL Plant Working Group 2009).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus africanus var. microcarpus | Balf.f. | Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 12: 411. 1884 |
| Asparagus asiaticus var. mitis | (A.Rich.) Chiov. | Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. n.s., 26: 166. 1919 |
| Asparagus gourmacus | A.Chev. | Explor. Bot. Afrique Occ. Franc. i. 645 (1920), nomen. |
| Asparagus mitis | A.Rich. | Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 319. 1850 |
| Protasparagus africanus | (Lam.) Oberm. | S. African J. Bot. 2: 243 (1983) |
| Asparagus africanus var. biarticulatus | De Wild. & T.Durand | Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 40: 31. 1901 |
| Asparagus africanus var. pubescens | Baker | J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14: 619. 1875 |
| Asparagopsis lamarckii | Kunth | Enum. Pl. 5: 87 (1850) |
| Asparagus rivalis | Burch. ex Kies | Bothalia 6: 179 (1951) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | wild asparagus |
| English | bush asparagus |
| English | climbing asparagus fern |
| English | ornamental asparagus |
| English | sparrow grass |
| English | african asparagus |
| Spanish | asparagus rivalis |
| Spanish | asparagus mitis |
| Spanish | asparagus gourmacus |
| Spanish | asparagus asiaticus var. mitis |
| Spanish | asparagopsis lamarckii |
| Spanish | protasparagus pilosus |
| Spanish | protasparagus cooperi |
| Spanish | asparagopsis scoparia |
| Spanish | asparagopsis schlechtendalii |
| Spanish | asparagopsis juniperina |
| Spanish | protasparagus multiflorus |
| Afrikaans | haakdoring |
| Afrikaans | wag-’n-bietjie |
| Afrikaans | katdoring |
| Arabic | خريص |
| dag | jeŋkpibrigoo |
| Swedish | plymsparris |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus africanus var. africanus | Unknown | |
| Asparagus africanus var. puberulus | (Baker) Sebsebe | Fl. Trop. E. Africa , Asparagac.: 8 (2006) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Djibouti
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Socotra
- Somalia
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
- Swaziland
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Ivory Coast
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Rwanda
- Zaïre
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
Arabian Peninsula
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
-
Arabian Peninsula
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- India
-
Indian Subcontinent
-
Australasia click to expand
-
Australia
- Queensland
-
Australia
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000631275 |
| USDA Plants | ASAF |
| Tropicos | 18400156 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:530996-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-274929 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 699566 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 983933 |
| IPNI | 530996-1 |
| iNaturalist | 505798 |
| GBIF | 2768551 |
| EPPO | ASPAF |
| EOL | 987593 |
| USDA GRIN | 4490 |
| Wikipedia | Asparagus_africanus |
| CMAUP | NPO15006 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds | |||||
| (-)-Hinokiresinol | 12310493 | Click to see | 252.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| 1,3-Bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)pentane-1,4-diene | 157288 | Click to see | 252.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| 4-[(1Z,3S)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)penta-1,4-dienyl]phenol | 5281830 | Click to see | 252.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| 4-[(3R)-3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)penta-1,4-dienyl]phenol | 126090 | Click to see | 252.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| Nyasol | 6915833 | Click to see | 252.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans | |||||
| 1H,3H-Furo[3,4-c]furan-3a(4H)-ol, dihydro-1,4-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-, (1R,3aS,4S,6aR)- | 3010925 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3(CO2)O)C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)OC)O | 374.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 8-Hydroxypinoresinol | 3010930 | Click to see | 374.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Prinsepiol | 3010931 | Click to see | 390.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones | |||||
| (4R,4aR,6S,7S,7aS)-6-hydroxy-7-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl-4,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]pyran-1-one | 45096715 | Click to see | 200.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Ursolic Acid | 64945 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 23-Hydroxyursolic Acid | 14136881 | Click to see | 472.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 24-Hydroxyursolic Acid | 44568920 | Click to see | 472.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Betulin | 72326 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)CO | 442.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Betulinic Acid | 64971 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Oxosteroids | |||||
| 10,15-Dihydroxy-5',7,9,13-tetramethylspiro[5-oxapentacyclo[10.8.0.02,9.04,8.013,18]icosa-1(20),17-diene-6,2'-oxane]-16-one | 85284301 | Click to see CC1CCC2(C(C3C(O2)CC4C3(C(CC5C4=CCC6=CC(=O)C(CC56C)O)O)C)C)OC1 | 442.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| Muzanzagenin | 10836928 | Click to see | 442.60 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 https://doi.org/10.1021/NP970217F |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides / Steroidal saponins | |||||
| Anemarsaponin E | 74029732 | Click to see | 935.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| beta-D-Glucopyranoside, (3beta,5beta,22alpha,25R)-26-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-22-methoxyfurostan-3-yl 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- | 101035656 | Click to see CC1C2C(CC3C2(CCC4C3CCC5C4(CCC(C5)OC6C(C(C(C(O6)CO)O)O)OC7C(C(C(C(O7)CO)O)O)O)C)C)OC1(CCC(C)COC8C(C(C(C(O8)CO)O)O)O)OC | 935.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| Furcogenin 3-[2''-glucosyl-6''-arabinosylglucoside] | 131751549 | Click to see | 887.00 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| I(2)-D-Glucopyranoside, (3I(2),5I(2),25R)-spirostan-3-yl O-I+/--L-arabinopyranosyl-(1a6)-O-[I(2)-D-glucopyranosyl-(1a2)]- | 101035655 | Click to see | 873.00 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| Smilagenin 3-[2''-glucosyl-6''-arabinosylglucoside] | 73802022 | Click to see | 873.00 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| Spirostan-12-one, 3-[(O-I+/--L-arabinopyranosyl-(1a6)-O-[I(2)-D-glucopyranosyl-(1a2)]-I(2)-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-, (3I(2),5I(2),25R)- | 101035654 | Click to see | 887.00 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00051-5 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids | |||||
| 3-(4-Hydroxy-3-Methoxyphenyl)Prop-2-Enoic Acid | 709 | Click to see | 194.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Tricin | 5281702 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O | 330.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Diosmetin | 5281612 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 6-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Santin | 5281695 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O)OC | 344.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |