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Ruscus
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<p><i>Ruscus</i>, commonly known as butcher's broom, is a <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genus</a> of six species of <a href="/facts/Flowering_plant/E5eGYIvY">flowering plants</a>, native to western and southern <a href="/facts/Europe/DTAtrKfh">Europe</a>, <a href="/facts/Macaronesia/mbdgpk8q">Macaronesia</a>, northwestern <a href="/facts/Africa/XkqQUP9s">Africa</a>, and southwestern <a href="/facts/Asia/4IToYrrQ">Asia</a> east to the <a href="/facts/Caucasus/sE8P8Ejg">Caucasus</a>. In the <a href="/facts/APG_III_system/fQWR7DUq">APG III classification system</a>, it is placed in the <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">family</a> <a href="/facts/Asparagaceae/v4XYHdbA">Asparagaceae</a>, subfamily <a href="/facts/Nolinoideae/VmINPgYC">Nolinoideae</a> (formerly the family Ruscaceae). Like many <a href="/facts/Lilioid_monocot/YrVsSgrg">lilioid monocots</a>, it was formerly classified in the family <a href="/facts/Liliaceae/1pY4rRuJ">Liliaceae</a>. </p><p>The species are <a href="/facts/Evergreen/bcLptUdV">evergreen</a> shrub-like <a href="/facts/Perennial_plant/MQ3NvAUW">perennial plants</a>, growing to approximately 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) tall. They have branched stems that bear numerous <a href="/facts/Cladode/QlQWSzV4">cladodes</a> (flattened, leaf-like stem tissue, also known as <a href="/facts/Phylloclade/QUUcRDsF">phylloclades</a>) 2 to 18 centimetres (0.79 to 7.09 in) long and 1 to 8 centimetres (0.39 to 3.15 in) broad. The true <a href="/facts/Leaf/1m6wCNTg">leaves</a> are minute, scale-like, and non-photosynthetic. The <a href="/facts/Flower/7gI5Kefw">flowers</a> are small, white with a dark-violet centre, and situated on the middle of the cladodes. The <a href="/facts/Fruit/PBpuzk60">fruit</a> is a red <a href="/facts/Berry_(botany)/2JfhI0vw">berry</a> 5 to 10 millimetres (0.20 to 0.39 in) in diameter. Some species are <a href="/facts/Plant_sexuality/Up20kQT3">monoecious</a> while others are <a href="/facts/Plant_sexuality/Up20kQT3">dioecious</a>. </p><p><i>Ruscus</i> is spread by seed and by means of underground <a href="/facts/Rhizome/wWDKJrSf">rhizomes</a>. It can colonise extensive patches of ground. </p>