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Asparagus capensis

L.

Wild Asparagus

Asparagaceae Edible: Shoots, Fruit, Vegetable 2,579 iNaturalist observations

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(c) Campbell Fleming, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Campbell Fleming

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Gigi Laidler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gigi Laidler

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Ismail Ebrahim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ismail Ebrahim

Asparagus capensis, also called katdoring (from the Afrikaans for 'cat-thorn') is a dense, thorny, shrub of the Asparagus genus, that is indigenous to South Africa and Namibia.

Description

A dense thorny shrub. It grows 1 m tall. The leaves are small and spiny. The flowers are very small and white. They have a scent.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The shoots are eaten as a vegetable, and the fruit are eaten as a snack, particularly by children.

Traditional Uses

The plant is eaten as a vegetable. The fruit are eaten as a snack.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean climate or subtropical plant.

Where It Grows

Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa,

Other Information

The fruit are eaten by children.

Notes

There are between 160-300 Asparagus species.

Also Known As

Katbus, Katdoring, Kattedoring

References (9)

  • De Vynk, J. C., et al, 2016, Indigenous edible plant use by contemporary Khoe-San descendants of South Africa's Cape South Coast. South African Journal of Botany. 102 (2016) 60-69
  • Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 255
  • Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 57
  • Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 202
  • Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 30
Show all 9 references
  • Sp. pl. 1:314. 1753
  • van Wyk, Be., & Gericke, N., 2007, People's plants. A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Briza. p 68
  • Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
  • Wikipedia,

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