1910–1911
Britannica 11th
Encyclopaedia Britannica · 11th edition
ASPARAGUS, a genus of plants (nat. ord. Liliaceae) containing more than 100 species, and widely distributed in the temperate and warmer parts of the Old World; it was introduced from Europe into America with the early settlers. The name is derived from the Greek acnrapayas or aafapa-fcrs. the origin of which is obscure. Sperage or sparage was the form in use from the i6th to i8th centuries, cf. the modern Italian sparagio. The vulgar corruption sparrow-grass or sparagrass was in accepted popular use during the iSth…
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- Vol. 2, pp. 765-765