Asparagus plumosus Baker, Asparagaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Reject, score: 16 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 13 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Other Latin names:  Asparagus comorensis hort.; Asparagus setaceus auct. nonn.; Protasparagus plumosus (Baker) Oberm.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: wen zhu

English: asparagus fern, climbing asparagus-fern, ferny asparagus, lace-fern

French: asperge plumeuse

Maori (Cook Islands): remu, remu ‘enua, rimu

Samoan: lau lili‘i, lau lili‘i

Tongan: taupo ‘ou

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Plants very slender and intricately branched and tangled, often climbing to a height of 3 meters or more, deep green, woody; stems green; cladodes numerous, 8-20 in a cluster, mostly 5-7 mm long, terete; leaf scales on the main branches developing into short woody spines; flowers borne at the ends of the branchlets, white, the perianth lobes spreading, obovate; berry 1-3-seeded, purple-black" (Standley & Steyermark, 1952; pp. 69-70).

See also Asparagus setaceus.  Recently published work revealed that Asparagus setaceus and Asparagus plumosus can be "distinguished by the arrangement of the cladodes: all in 1 plane (A. plumosus) or radiating in many planes (A. setaceus).  If this classification is followed, then the plant widespread in cultivation is to be called A. plumosus; the genuine A. setaceus (Kunth) Jessop is not in cultivation"  (Imada, Staples & Herbst, 2000; p. 13).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, " this widely grown species occurs only near sea level..." (Smith, 1979; p. 163)

Propagation:  Seed?

Native range:  Southern Africa (Smith, 1979; p. 163).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9221 (BISH)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 112578) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 22) "Naturalised and becoming a serious pest". Vouchers cited: J. Pickard NSW 13929 (K, NSW), P.S. Green 2026 (K), G. Uhe 1337 (K)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) "Naturalised and becoming a serious pest". Vouchers cited: J. Pickard NSW 13929 (K, NSW), P. S. Green 2026 (K), G. Uhe 1337 (K)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 11) "Naturalised and becoming a serious pest". Vouchers cited: W.R. Sykes NI 504 (CHR), W.R. Sykes NI 539(CHR)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) "Naturalised and becoming a serious pest". Vouchers cited: W.R.Sykes NI 504 (CHR), W.R.Sykes NI 539 (CHR)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 73) As Asparagus setaceus
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 78) As Asparagus setaceus
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 84) As Asparagus setaceus
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 96) As Asparagus setaceus
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Slightly naturalized
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 64) As Asparagus setaceus
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 163) Voucher cited: DA 9643
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 618811) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 163) Vouchers cited: DA 11233, DA 12136, DA Dec. 30, 1949.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1960) (voucher ID: BISH 34073) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Raro‘ia Atoll	introduced cultivated	Doty, Maxwell S. (1954) (p. 37)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 115)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 000620-2 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 40) Misidentified as Asparagus setaceus. Voucher cited D. Lorence 5569 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank (2008) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, Perlman & Tangalin H10710 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. (2000) (p. 6) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Nagata 4444 (BISH), Oppenheimer H89919 (BISH), Oppenheimer H79908 (BISH), Oppenheimer H89915 (BISH), Oppenheimer H89922 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 9) East Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, B. Haus & P. Welton H60023 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 36) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 050517-3 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2000) (p. 13) Vouchers cited: Kraus s.n. (BISH 655272), G. Staples, S. Lum & K. Ahsing 1171 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1999) (voucher ID: BISH 655272) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 254) Voucher cited: CHR 169851
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 5) As Asparagus setaceus
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 32)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 8) As Asparagus setaceus
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 8) As Asparagus setaceus
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28549) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28759) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 699704) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 699705) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 79-80) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15704
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 112579) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6) As Asparagus setaceus
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	‘Uiha Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6) As Asparagus setaceus. Voucher: Flynn 6878 (PTBG. US)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6) As Asparagus setaceus
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 79-80) Vouchers cited: Hürlimann 236, Yuncker 15613
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 112580) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus plumosus J.G.Baker
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6) As Asparagus setaceus
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6) As Asparagus setaceus

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) Naturalized in South Australia; Persistent in old gardens in Victoria, but possibly not naturalized. Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 1)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced cultivated	Rivers, Julie (2004) (p. 7)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Comments:  A forest invader in Tonga, particularly noted on Lifuka/Foa and ‘Uiha (Ha‘apai group of islands), but reportedly present throughout the archipelago (Space & Flynn, 2001).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Asparagus plumosus, please let us know.