The Genus Asparaguscomprise up to 300species. 2.1-Selected species As of September 2014, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepts 212 species of the Genus Asparagus: See more information in:List of Asparagus species 2.2-Important species In the Asparagus (genus) from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (that was last modified on 20 May 2015) had the important selected species as the following: 1- Asparagus acutifolius L. - Mediterranean 2- Asparagus aethiopicus L. - Cape Province to North-West Province (= Asparagus sprengeri, Protasparagus aethiopicus) - Ground Asparagus, Asparagus Fern, (S. Afr.) Emerald Fern, Basket Asparagus. 3- Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce - S. Ethiopia to S. Africa (=Myrsiphyllum asparagoides) - Smilax, African Asparagus Fern, (Austr.) Bridal Creeper. 4- Asparagus capensis L. - Namibia to Cape Province 5- Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop (=Protasparagus densiflorus) - Mozambique (Inhaca Islands) to S. Africa 6- Asparagus falcatus L. - S.W. Ethiopia to S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India, Sri Lanka. 7- Asparagus flagellaris (Kunth) Baker - Tropical & S. Africa, W. Arabian Peninsula. 8- Asparagus lignosus Burm.f. - S.W. Cape Province 9- Asparagus officinalis L. - Asparagus , Europe to Mongolia, N.W. Africa - Asparagus officinalis subsp. officinalis - Garden Asparagus - Asparagus officinalis subsp. prostratus 10- Asparagus persicus Baker- Central Turkey to Mongolia and W. Pakistan. 11- Asparagus racemosus Willd. - Tropical Africa to N. Australia. 12- Asparagus rubicundus P.J.Bergius - Cape Province 13- Asparagus scandens Thunb. - Krulkransie of the Western Cape, South Africa 14- Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop - Central Ethiopia to S. Africa, Comoro (= Protasparagus setaceus, A. plumosus) - Lace Fern, Asparagus Fern, Florist's Fern, (Austr.) Climbing Asparagus. 15- Asparagus simulans Baker - Madagascar 16- Asparagus virgatus Baker - Yemen, S. Tanzania to S. Africa Source: Asparagus (genus) - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
3.2- Ecology The genus includes a variety of living forms, occurring from rainforest to semi-desert habitats; many are climbing plants. The differences among them came from the communities and ecosystems in which they occur, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that keep them functioning, yet ever changing and adapting. Most are dispersed by birds.
3.3- Characteristics Ornamental species such as Asparagus plumosus, Asparagus aethiopicus, Asparagus setaceus, and Asparagus virgatus are finely branched and are misleadingly known as "asparagus fern". In the Macaronesian Islands, several species (such as Asparagus umbellatus and Asparagus scoparius) grow in moist laurel forest habitat, and preserve the original form of a leafy vine. In the drier Mediterranean climate the asparagus genus evolved in the Tertiary into thorny, drought-adapted species. Many species, particularly from Africa, were once included in separate genera such as Protasparagus and Myrsiphyllum. However, partly in response to the implications of the discovery of new species, those genera have been reunited under Asparagus. Species in this genus vary in their appearance, from unarmed herbs to wiry, woody climbers with formidable hooked spines that earn them vernacular names such as "cat thorn" and "wag 'n bietjie" (literally "wait a bit"). Most species have photosynthetic flattened stems, called phylloclades, instead of true leaves. Asparagus officinalis, Asparagus schoberioides, and Asparagus cochinchinensis are dioecious species, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
4- Invasive Species
4.1- Invasive Species Asparagus asparagoides, known as bridal creeper, is a problematic weed in southern Australia. Asparagus asparagoides, Asparagus aethiopicus (under the name Asparagus densiflorus) and Asparagus scandens are listed on the New Zealand National Pest Plant Accord since they are invasive plants.