An erect, unarmed, branched herb growing up to 1 meter in height. Leaves (scales) are very minute, and the cladodes (branchlets) fascicled, slender terete, 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long. Flowers are axillary, fascicled, solitary or in pairs, pedicelled, the perianth straw yellow, or greenish-yellow, about 5 millimeters long. Fruit is globose, and fleshy red when ripe.

Antispasmodic, aperient, cardiac, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative and tonic (plant); diaphoretic, hypotensive, strongly diuretic and laxative (roots); cardiac sedative, palliative, diuretic and laxative (rhizome); antibiotic (seed).

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Wikipedia

Alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin (plant); alpha-linolenic acid, arginine, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, coniferin, diosgenin, cystine, folacin, glutamic acid, glycine, guaiacol, histidine, inositol, isoleucine, lauric acid, leucine, linoleic acid, lysine, m-cresol, methionine, myristic acid, niacin, O-cresol, oleic acid, p-cresol, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, pantothenic acid, phenol, phenylalanine, riboflavin, sarsapogenin, stearic acid, succinic acid, thiamin, threonine, tocopherol, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, vanadium (shoot); choline (rhizome); inulin, kaempferol, quercetin, rutin (root).

The green resin contained in the plant is used to exercise a sedative effect on the heart, calming palpitation and also used in treating flatulence, calculous, effections, cardiac dropsy, rheumatism, and chronic gout. The water, in which asparagus has been boiled, is good for rheumatism. The roots are useful for bronchial catarrh and pulmonary tuberculosis. The roots are burned and the smoke is inhaled to relieve toothache. An infusion of roots are used in the treatment of jaundice and congestive torpor of the liver. The rhizomes and roots are used to treat urinary tract infections, cystitis, as well as kidney and bladder stones.