410 Pennell: Plants of southern United States 



that a number of species may be distinguished upon features at 

 first thought of little moment. 



Linnaeus in the first edition of the Species Plantarum recog- 

 nized two species, Smilax herbacea and S. Pseudo China. The 

 types of these show that they are identical, and that the wide- 

 spread glaucous- and glabrous-leaved species of the east is properly 

 called S. herbacea. Smilax tamnifolia and 5. pulverulenta, two 

 surprisingly distinct species considering how poorly our books 

 have described them, were added by Michaux. Smilax lasio- 

 neuron was described by Hooker in 1840 from the Saskatchewan 

 region, and the main innovation of this present revision is 

 the extension of this species eastward to embrace a plant 

 widespread through the Mississippi Valley states. Hooker 

 and his followers have laid emphasis upon the short-peduncled 

 cymes of 5. lasioneuron, but it requires but slight inspection of a 

 series of any species of this group to show how undependable 

 this character is; indeed, that peduncles should be shortened in 

 specimens of western more arid regions seems natural. Two 

 southern species have been added by Dr. Small, and the present 

 writer describes one species, believed new to science, from Georgia. 



The carrion-flowers are here continued as a subgenus of Smilax, 

 in deference to the opinion of Mr. John B. Norton, of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, who is engaged in a study of 

 the entire genus Smilax. To him I am indebted for valuable 

 criticism. 



My interest in this group extends from 1908, and my collections 

 include most of the species, although several critical southern 

 species have not been obtained. 



Anthers about equaling the filaments. Leaves lanceolate to ^ 



triangular-ovate, usually more or less hastate-lobed at base. 

 Leaves slightly paler and glabrous beneath. Peduncles 

 frequently several in an axil . 

 Perianth-segments 1.5-2.5 mm. long. Peduncles and pedi- 

 cels relatively short, the latter less than 10 mm. long. i. 5. tamnifolia. 

 Perianth-segments 4 mm. long. Peduncles and pedicels 



longer, the latter about 20 mm. long. 2. 5. leptanthera. 



Anthers shorter than the filaments. Leaves ovate to cordate, 

 not hastate-lobed at base. 

 Mature leaves pale beneath, relatively short-acuminate. 

 Berries dark-blue, glaucous. Perianth-segments 

 broadly lanceolate, 2-5 mm. lorg. 



