Smilax. DIOECIA HEXANDRIA, | 791 
. but in the low sd eel it is only a shrub, tt flowers dur- 
ing the hot season. — 
“Trunk irregular. Bark of a dark rust colour.’ Branches 
very numerous, and very irregularly disposed. Leaves alter- 
nate, short-petioled, oval, entire, very smooth, shining, about 
half or three quarters of an inch long, by half an inch broad. 
‘Mate. Flowers from the axills of the lower leaves, three toge- 
ther smaller than the female ones, Filaments six, short, inserted 
round a semi-globose receptacle, Anthers oblong. Pistil none. 
FemALe. Flowers axillary, single, sessile, very small, white. 
Calyx three-cleft, Coro? three-cleft, hairy on the outside, 
Stamens none. Germ superior, oval, three-celled, with two 
ovula in each attached to the top of the axis. Style short, 
Stigma three-toothed. Berry superior, of the size of a large 
pea, round, smooth, when ripe yellow, from one to three: 
‘celled, partitions thin, tough, membranaceous, Seed one; I 
never found more, in éach cell, differing in shape according 
to the number of fertile cells in the berry. Integument single, 
rather fleshy. Perisperm conform to the seed, of a soft, hairy, 
semi-pellucid consistence. Embryo inverse, nearly as long 
as the perisperm, a little curved, Cotyledons two, cordate 
Plumula very minute. Radicle superior, clavate, potitinis 
directly to the umbilicus. SE 
The berries of this tree are — eaten ike ripe, and 
are very well tasted. 
The wood is dark coloured pronnirieably hard, and detcble: 
It is employed for such uses, when its size will admit, as re- 
quire the most durable heavy wood. 
 SMILAX. Schreb. gen. N. 1528. 
Mate, Calyx six-leaved. Corolnone, Femate. Ca- 
lyx six-leaved. Corol none. Germ superior, three-celled ; 
cells one-seeded ; attachment superior. Styles three, . Berry 
from two to three-seeded. Embryo in the base of the peri- 
