Members are large herbs, shrubs or small, sparsely branched trees.
Leaves usually in rosette, spine tipped, succulent, fibrous.
In some members leaf like photosynthesizing organs- ‘cladodes’ or ‘phylloclades’ present.
Inflorescence of spikes to thyrses, umbels or solitary.
Flowers bisexual (usually), perianth 6, free or connate, stamens 6, often adnate to perianth.
Gynoecium of 3 united carpels, ovary superior or inferior, trilocular, with axile ovules.
Fruit a globose coloured berry or capsule, seeds often black.
World- 128 genera, 2929 species (The Plant List 2013); 114 genera, 2900 species (Christenhusz & Byng 2016); 110 genera, 2450 species (Mabberley 2017); 120 genera, 3159 species (CoL 2021)
India - 16 genera, 100 species (BSI 2021)
Indian Himalaya- 20 genera, 65 species
Uttarakhand- ?
Asparagaceae in Watson & Dallwitz (1992 onwards)
Asparagaceae in POWO 2021 (Plants of the World Online)
Asparagaceae in Wikipedia
Super Kingdom- Eukaryota, Kingdom- Plantae, Subkingdom- Viridiplantae, Infrakingdom- Streptophyta, Superphylum- Embryophyta, Phylum- Tracheophyta, Subphylum- Spermatophytina, Superclass- Angiospermae, Class- Magnoliopsida, Superorder- Lilianae, Order- Asparagales
Class : Monotyledons
Series : Coronarieae
(Included in Liliaceae)
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Embryophyta Siphonogama
Subdivision : Angiospermae
Class : Monocotyledoneae
Order : Liliflorae
Suborder : Liliineae
(Included in Liliaceae)
Phylum : Angiospermae
Subphylum : Monocotyledones
Division : Corolliferae
Order : Liliales
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Subclass : Liliidae
Order :Liliales
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Liliidae
Super Order: Lilianae
Order : Iridales
Suborder : Asparagineae
Phylum : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Subclass : Liliidae
Super Order : Lilianae
Order : Asparagales
Clade : Angiosperms
Clade : Monocots
Order : Asparagales
Class : Angiospermae
Subclass : Liliidae
Order : Liliales
Suborder : Asparagineae
Class : Equisetopsida
Subclass : Liliidae
Super Order : Lilianae
Order : Iridales
Suborder : Asparagineae
To see larger images please click on the names
Agave amica (Medik.) Thiede & Govaerts
Vernacular name: Tuberose (English); Rajnigandha (Hindi)
Nativity:Mexico (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Bulbous herb. Leaves long narrow, lanceolate. Inflorescence spike. Flower waxy white, funnel shaped, aromatic.
Flowering period: May to November
Propagation Methods: Propagated by rhizomes (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ MFC
Agave demeesteriana Jacobi
Asparagus officinalis L.
Vernacular name: Garden asparagus
Nativity: Southern Europe, West Asia and Northwestern Africa (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Upright herb. Cladodes leaf like, needle shaped, 1-10 in each cluster, true leaves scaly, minute, located at base of cladodes. Male and female flowers separate, bell shaped.
Flowering period: January to March
Propagation Methods: Propagated by seed and by division of crown (Useful Tropical Plants)
Photographed @ VRC
Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev.
Vernacular name: Cabbage Palm, Good Luck Plant, Palm Lily, Ti plant
Nativity:Eastern India to West Pacific (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Evergreen shrub, stem unbranched, leave oblong or lanceolate, vary from purplish to reddish colour.
Flowering period: August to September
Propagation Methods: Propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings (Useful Tropical Plants)
Photographed @ Garden Section
Dracaena angolensis (Welw.) Byng & Christenh.
Vernacular name: Cylindrical snake plant, Spear sansevieria
Nativity:Tropical South Africa (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Evergreen herb. Leaves cylindrical, stiffed and having transverse dark green colour bands.
Flowering period: December to February
Propagation Methods: Propagated by dividing rhizomatous part (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ Garden Section
Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker Gawl.
Vernacular name: Cornstalk plant
Nativity: Tropical Africa (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Herbaceous upright shrub. Leaves large, lanceolate, broadly striped..
Flowering period: March to May
Propagation Methods: Propagated by stem cuttings or by simple layering (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ Yamnotri Bhawan
Dracaena reflexa Lam.
Vernacular name: Song of India
Nativity: Western Africa and Madagascar (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Herbaceous shrub. Leaves simple, linear, in rosette, variegated, midrib absent.
Flowering period: March to May
Propagation Methods: Propagated by stem cuttings (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ Garden Section
Dracaena trifasciata (Hort. ex Prain) Mabb.
Vernacular name: Mother-in-law's tongue, Snake Plant
Nativity: Tropical Africa (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Evergreen herb. Subterranean stem rhizomatous. Leaves whitish- green to blakish green, linear lanceolate, thick, with transverse dark bands on both surfaces.
Flowering period: July to November
Propagation Methods: Propagated by leaf cutting or cuttings of rhizomatous stem (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ Garden Section
Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw.
Vernacular name: Giant Cabuya, Green-aloe, Mauritius-hemp
Nativity:Central America and Northern South America (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Evergreen perennial. Stem very short, leaves greenish to creamy in colour, large, oblong lanceolate, in dense basal rosette, with wavy margins and terminal spine.
Flowering period: August to January
Propagation Methods: Propagated by bulbils or seeds (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ Garden Section