西南天门冬 xi nan tian men dong

Subshrubs dioecious. Stems climbing, to 1 m, becoming yellowish when dried; branches distinctly striate-ridged. Cladodes in fascicles of 2--5(--7), 0.5--1.5 cm × 0.5--0.8 mm, acutely 3-angled. Leaf spur spinescent; spine straight, 5--7 mm on main stems, 1.5--2 mm on branches, rather thick, woody. Inflorescences developing with cladodes. Male flowers: paired; pedicel 3--4.5 mm, articulate above middle or near apex; perianth yellowish, campanulate, 4--5 mm; filaments adnate to perianth segments for ca. 1/2 their length. Berry ca. 7 mm in diam., 1--4-seeded. Fl. Apr--May.

* Forest margins, thickets; 1900--2400 m. SW Sichuan, Yunnan.