Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_3993.JPG-06-18-2020
Flower name (scientific): Asparagus officinalis Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ah-SPAIR-ah-gus oh-fiss-ih-NAH-liss
Flower name (common): Common Asparagus
Family name (common): Asparagus
Family name (scientific): Asparagaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Originally from the Greek asparagos (aspharagos), which is of uncertain origin.
    Specific epithet: Latin for of the shops, that is, sold in shops, or official.
Common name origin: Cultivated for its edible shoots, asparagus comes from the Medieval Latin sparagus, and this derives from the Greek asparagos/aspharagos, which is of uncertain origin.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches (3 to 8 mm)
     Petal count: 6
     Color: white
     Other: flower arrangement, Solitary
Plant description:
     Size: 24 to 84 inches (61 to 213 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves are scale-like and 3 to 4 mm in length. What appear to be needle-like leaves are actually stemlets (cladophylls).
     Color:
     Hairy: glabrous.
     Other: Shape: leaf, scalelike, lanceolate (FNA), deltate (IL). Shape: leaf, scalelike, lanceolate (FNA), deltate (IL). What appear to be needle-like leaves are cladophylls (stemlets).
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon
Bloom time (typical): May to June
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Woods, fields, prairies, meadows, thickets, disturbed sites, roadsides, sun or part shade.
Fruit: Berries globose, about 8 to 10 mm in diameter, and red-colored at maturity.
Seed: About 3 to 5 mm in length, black, shiny surface.
Importance to wildlife: Click for pollinator information on this flower.
Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes.
Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. The Cherokee employed this plant as a dietary aid, and the Iroquois used the plant as an antirheumatic and blood medicine. The Cherokee and Iroquois both utilized the plant as a food source (Moerman, p. 110, 1998).
Latitude: 44.797358
Longitude: -91.482237
Altitude: 282.00
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym: na
Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 37 heterotypic synonyms for this species.
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU