BULLETIN 
OF THE 
_ TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB. 
~The Smilacez of North and Central America. 
By THoMAS MORONG, 
The Smilaceze have of late years been regarded as a tribe or 
Suborder of Liliaceze by many good botanists such as, for instance, 
Bentham and Hooker, and Engler and Prantl. The reasons for 
Considering them a distinct’ natural family have been stated none 
too Strongly by Mr. J. G. Baker.* Their orthotropous ovules, 
their peculiar sti pular sheaths and tendrils, rigid and netted-veined 
leaves with petioles articulated near or at the blades, small umbel- 
late and dioecious flowers, articulated pedicels which are set 
"pon the receptacle in foveolz, as Mr. Baker happily observes, like 
 aballin a socket, and flexuous, woody and often prickly stems, 
furnish a combination of characters which certainly separates 
them widely from any Liliaceous group. In addition to this, the 
_ baccate fruit of Smilax is entirely unique, unlike anything found 
: ‘elsewhere, so far as I am aware. : : 
: In the New World we have no representative of the small 
family Phileriaceee, which is looked upon as a connecting link 
_ between Smilacez’ and Asparagee ; nor any species of Heterosimt- 
a lax or Khipogonum, the only other genera of the family. We are 
: therefore restricted to the single genus Smilax, which is repre- 
“ented by 3 species in Canada, 16 in the United States, 32 in| 
_ exico and Central America, and about 67 in South America. 
“Aumerating only the distinct forms found in these several dis- 
—* Journ. Linn. Soc. 1g: 510, 0 | 
