420 
tricts, we find about 110 species in the Western Hemisphere, or a 
little more than half the number ascribed by M. A. De Candolle, 
in his admirable monograph, to the entire world. 
In this paper I take no notice of the species occurring in the 
West India Islands, about a dozen in number, except the few 
which have crept across the water to our coasts. 
In my account of the Mexican and Central American species, 
in cases where I have been unable to study specimens, I have 
drawn freely upon the descriptions of Schlechtendal,* Kunth and 
especially that great storehouse provided by M. De Candolle.t 
The last author has in his general preface so thoroughly canvassed 
the structure of the leaves, the inflorescence, flowers, fecundation, 
dissemination, and geographical distribution of the species, that 
little or nothing can be added upon these points. The rootstocks, 
tubers, and fruit of Sw/ax have scarcely been touched by any but 
American authors, and therefore more extended remarks upon 
these will be allowable. : 
‘SMILAX L. Sp. Pl. 1028 (1753). 
The genus, at least so far as the species of this country are - 
concerned, are most conveniently divided into two groups, those 
which are annual, with herbaceous and unarmed stems, and those, 
by far the greater number, which have woody, perennial stems, 
~ more or less armed with prickles. Most of the species climb upo” 
other shrubs and trees by means of a pair of tendrils which Sd 
at the summit of a stipular wing § on each side of the petiole, 
often not developing till the stem is several years of age. Blades . 
3-9-nerved, mostly coriaceous, at least when old, separating from ma 
the petiole above the tendrils, entire, denticulate or spiny upon 
the margins, and sometimes upon the nerves also. Flowers 
usually greenish yellow, small, dioecious, in peduncled umbels. 
Pedicels upon a globular or oval receptacle, in pits or foveol®, 
from which they fall out at maturity, bearing the fruit with thet : 
* Linnea, 18: 446-455. 1844. as 
+ Enum. §: 160-270. , 
+ Monog. Phan. 3: 1-212, cea 
$ De Candolle regards this appendage as more in the nature of a modified a 
segment or leaflet than a stipule, but it seems to me that a stipule is nothing else thar 
a leaflet at the base of a petiole. 
