XVI International Botanical Congess

A taxonomic revision of the family Asparagaceae Jussieu in India was undertaken. In this family Jussieu (1759) recognized 16 genera including Asparagus. Baker (1875) and Dahlgren et al (1985) treated family as monogeneric with genus Asparagus and regarded remaining 15 genera (Jussieu, loc. cit.) as belonging to other families. Author followed the treatment of Dahlgren (l.c.) and taxonomy of Asparagus L. (sensu lato) has been studid. Obermeyer (1983) adopted Kunth=s concept of Asparagus and published new genus Protasparagus Oberm. Author supported her view and provided 16 (1991, 1996) new combinations. Author examined wild, live material and ca 1600 herbarium specimens, including types, deposited in all the herbaria of Botanical Survey of India and other herbaria of India. In India there are 19 species and seven varieties of the genus, which include four new species Protosparagus biradari, P. karthikeyani, P. netrapali, Asparagus hajrae and one new variety. There are five species and three varieties endemic to India of which distribution of P. jacquemonti is restricted to Maharastra State only. for each species description, distribution, illustration and key to the species has been provided.