439 
21. SMILAX JALAPENSIS Schlecht. Linnza, 18: 447 (1844). 
Very smooth. Stem terete, sparingly furnished with prickles. 
Petiole ahout 6” long. Blade broad-ovate, rounded or subcor- 
date at base, acuminate, glaucous-green underneath, 7-nerved, 
114-3’ long, 1/214’ wide. Peduncles 8” 11” long. Pedicels 
3-4” long. Ripe fruit unknown. 
South Mexico, Jalapa. 
22. SMILAX MEDICA Schlecht. Linnea, 18: 447 (1844). 
Rhizome consisting of a large crown of consolidated tubers, 
which throw out a number of stems, and numerous roots 1//—2’’ 
in thickness and sometimes 3 feet long. These roots are pressed 
Over the crown, dried and exported under the commercial name, 
“Vera Cruz Sarsaparilla.” 
_Glabrous. Stems bluntly angular, armed with short stout 
Prickles; branches very flexuous, sub-terete or angular, commonly 
unarmed. Petioles 5//_2/ long, occasionally bearing a few straight 
Prickles ; stipular sheath with narrow wings, \%4-¥, as long as the 
petiole. Blade ovate-hastate or oblong-hastate, cordate, with 
rounded lobes, often slightly constricted above the lobes, varying 
to oblong-elliptical with an acute base, acute at apex, pellucid- 
punctate and lineolate, 5—7-nerved or sometimes with 1 or 2 addi- 
tonal marginal nerves on each side, 4’-8’ long, 2’-4%4’ broad. 
eduncles compressed, 5/’-12/” long, 8-25-flowered, often rising 
from the axils of the bracts (var. dracteata A. DC.). Pedicels 
flattened, 4’’-5’’ long. Berries red, globose, about the length of 
the Pedicel, often 3-seeded. : 
South Mexico, Rafantla and near Tantoyuca, Orizaba and 
elsewhere, 
_ 23. Smitax Mexicana Kunth, Enum. 5: 167 (1850). : 
Glabrous. Branches flexuous, angular, sparsely armed with 
recurved prickles. Petiole 3-7". Blade thick, coriaceous, ellip- 
tica’ “ovate, rounded or subcordate at base, acute or acuminate and 
mucronate at the apex, here and there spiny on the midnerve 
neath, 5—7-nerved, 2’-41%4’ long, 8-24’ wide. Old leaves are 
Sometimes nearly oval, 4’ long and nearly 3! broad, abruptly 
acute, Peduncles 1’’-3/’ long, 10-50-flowered. Pedicels 1/3 
ng. Berries black, 3-6 in number, I—2-seeded. 
South Mexico, near Tampico, Misantla and Colipa. Guate- 
mala, Acatepeque (Herb. J. D. Smith). 
24. SMILax MEXICANA CosTARICE A DG. 
Leaves always unarmed. Flowers said to be intensely red 
4nd fragrant, | 
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