56 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



mcaninj,^ which has escaped me. "Nigger-head" probably al- 

 hides to the r(niii(l clusters of black fruit. 



S'liiila.r psciicla-Chiiia is known as "bull-brier" and "false 

 China-root." The true "China-root," it may be said, is an 

 Old World plant, also a species of Smilax {S. China). Several 

 of the North American species, notably S. Walteri, S. glauca. 

 and S. psciida-Cliina arc known as "sarsaparilla," but none 

 yield the drug familiarly known by that name. The drug is 

 the rocjtstock of S. officinalis and S. nicdica, tropical members 

 of the genus. The word "safsaparilla" is reported to come 

 from the Spanish zarzapariUa from ::arza, a bramble, and 

 PariUo, the name of the physician who discovered the virtues 

 of the plants. Smilax Walteri is also known as "red-berried 

 bamboo," and S. hinceolata now comes to market for decora- 

 tive purposes under the name of "Jackson vine" with no ob- 

 vious meaning. The name of "stretch-berry" is given to 

 S. hona-nox because the pulp of the fruit is elastic. Smilax 

 glaitca is the "saw-brier. 



Two herl)aceous species of Smilax are known as "carrion- 

 flowers." The most conspicuous is S. herbacea, one of the 

 plant i^ also called "Jacob's ladder" in allusion to the grace- 

 ful stems and leaves. The second species is not even vine- 

 like and lacks tendrils as its specific name, ecirrhata, indicates. 



OREGON WILLOWS 



By R. V. Bradshaw. 



EUGENE, OREGON, the site of the State University, is 

 located between two buttes. Skinner's Butte is situated 

 directly on the north side of the city, the railroad being near 



