Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Asparagales
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
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Ruscus aculeatus
COMMON NAME:
Butcher's Broom, Knee Holly
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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JK Marlow jkm0210c_15
October Aiken County SC
Nurseries Caroliniana
What looks like leaves are modified stems, "cladophylls", per Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Dirr, 1975+).
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Ruscus aculeatus
1289
Shrub
Perennial
Usually dioecious
Non-native: Europe, northern Africa, the Near East
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Cladophylls appear to be simple leaves
Cladophylls are modified stems with the form and function of leaves
FLOWER:
Spring
Dull white
Unisexual or bisexual
FRUIT:
Glossy red
Berry
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!