asparagus bamboo?

[Frankie V. Fernandez, MD]

I got a plant from the local nursery today. The stems, culms and leaves are bamboo in configuration, except that they are smaller. The plant is also vining, with a habitus much like an asparagus. Does anybody have an idea what plant this might be? I tried google searches for "asparagus bamboo" but all results(!) return 33 pages of vegetable websites' indexes ".....asparagus, bamboo....."

Thanks in advance!

Frankie

[Travis]

What did the nursery say it was? Bamboo comes in all sizes so how can you say it is smaller than bamboo?

[Cereus-validus.....]

Its those habitus that get you every time.

Go back to where you got it and ask them what it is.

Asparagus is a very large genus but I get the impression your plant might actually be a Ruscus.

[Frankie V. Fernandez, MD]

You may view some pics here. Sorry if they are a bit dim.

don't think it's a bamboo species. Unfortunately, I bought it at a roadside nursery and the seller doesn't have an idea either.

Frankie

[Cereus-validus.....]

Looks like Ruscus aculeatus.

[Frankie V. Fernandez, MD]

Hello again Cereus-validus and the rest of you guys and gals!

I saw some flower buds days ago and waited for them to open up. Well, they did open up for a few hours early in the evening. White colored, with three petals and three sepals. Around the single stigma is a hairy "cup" (don't know how else to describe it). There is no scent. Sorry about the pics. They were taken at night indoors.

Look at pics 5-8. Thanks!

Frankie

[Cereus-validus.....]

Turns out the plant is even more strange than a Ruscus.

The fringed petals show it to be Eustrephus latifolius, the "Wombat Berry" of Australia!!!!

[Frankie V. Fernandez, MD]

Wow! That's it. Thanks again!