Asparagus sarmentosus Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 1: 314. 1753.

"Habitat in Zeylona." RCN: 2471.

Type not designated.

Original material: [icon] in Hermann, Hort. Lugd.-Bat. Cat.: 62, 650. 1687; [icon] in Herb. Hermann 5: 237, No. 124. BM; [icon] in Herb. Hermann 5: 385, No. 124. BM .

Current name: Asparagus falcatus L. ( Liliaceae / Asparagaceae).

Note: Trimen (Handb. Fl. Ceylon 4: 286. 1898) suggested that the name be abandoned. Van Ooststroom (in Blumea Suppl. 1: 195. 1937) concluded that, as there are only drawings in the BM set of Hermann materials, a specimen in Leiden (fol. 12), identifiable as A. falcatus L., should be accepted as the type. However, Linnaeus never saw this collection and it is not original material for the name. Jessop (in Bothalia 9: 66. 1966) treated the Hermann drawings (ic. 237, 385, BM) as types but did not distinguish between them. More recently, Kamble (in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 20: 270, 1996) indicated cultivated material in G as a (neo)type but this is contrary to Art. 9.11 because original material is in existence.