Description

Wild Asparagus is a species of flowering plant in the family Stemonaceae. It is native to China, India, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. Hornets play an important role in seed dispersal by biting off the seed with its elaiosome and then carrying the seed away for about 100 m. There they chew off the elaiosome and abandon the seed which is likely to be taken by ants into their nest.

Characteristics:

Wild Asparagus is a vine 3-6 m long, stems often branched, base woody. Leaves are opposite or whorled, rarely alternate; leaf-stalk 3-10 cm; leaf blade ovate to ovate-lanceshaped, 6-24 x 5-17 cm, membranous, veins 7-13, base heart-shaped, margin slightly wavy, tip tapering. Flowers are borne in 1-3-flowered clusters; flower-cluster-stalk or flower-stalk in leaf-axils or rarely borne on leaf-stalk, 2.5-5 cm; bracts lanceshaped, 5-10 mm. Tepals are greenish with purplish veins, 3.5-7.5 x 0.7-1 cm, tip tapering. Stamens are purple, slightly shorter than perianth; filaments stout, 2-5 mm; anthers linear, about 1 cm; appendages partially adherent, upper one about 5 mm. Capsules are ovoid-oblong, 2.5-6 x 1-3 cm. Wild Asparagus is found in NE India to China and SE Asia, at altitudes of 300--2300 m. Flowering: April-July.

Medicinal Uses:

Roots are antibacterial, used in curing for tuberculosis in lungs, soothes in human respiratory tract and as antiseptic, and gynecological disorders. In China and Japan, tubers are used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines for centuries to manage respiratory diseases e.g. bronchitis, pertussis and tuberculosis, and to prevent human cattle parasites, agriculture pests and domestic insects. Tubers are also used in Bangladesh for mental disorder, worm, cough and jaundice. Leaves are also used in night blindness.