ASPARAGACEAE Juss. (incl. DRACAENACEAE Salisb. & RUSCACEAE Spreng.)
Family composed of 128 genera and about 2,930 species of shrubs, lianas or herbs, distributed over almost the entire planet, lacking in South America. In North Africa it is represented by 3 genera with ± woody species.
Chase, M.W, Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.F. 2009. A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae”. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161 (2): 132–136.
Key to genera
1 Trees with linear lanceolate leaves, 40 to 60 cm long Dracaena
1 Shrubs and shrublets without proper leaves, small phylloclades (Ruscus) or cladodes (Asparagus) fulfill this function 2
2 Phylloclades flattened and shaped into ovate or oval leaves, from its centre flowers are born Ruscus
2 Cladodes linear, spinescent or not Asparagus
Updated by: B. Valdés & J. Charco.