544 CLI. SMILACE^. Smtlax. 



2-seeded ; seeds membranaceously margined. — Slender, shrubby 

 climbers^ twining with the sun. Lvs. simple and palmatelii veined or 

 palmately divided. Fls. green.^ inconspicuous.^ in axillary spikes or 

 vanicles. 



D. viLLosA. (D. quaternata. PA.) Yam Root. 



iyr.'!. broad-ovate, cordate, acuminate, 9 — 11-veined, the margin entire or 

 wavy, lower surface villose with short, soft hairs, upper surface glabrous ; 

 petioles elongated, the lowest somewhat verticillate in 4s, the next subopposite, 

 the middle and upper alternate ; J* plant with the spikes paniculate, 9 with the 

 spikes simple. — A delicate twining vine, in thickets and hedges, U. S. and Can., 

 rare in N. Eng. Stem woolly, smooth, reddish-brown, 1 — 2" diam., 5 — 10 — 

 15f long, running over bushes and fences. Leaves 2 — 4' long, J as wide, dis- 

 tinctly cordate and acuminate. The two outside veins in some of the leaves 

 meet a little above the base, in others at the base — a character of no value. 

 Petioles 2 — 4' long. Peduncles axillary. Ovaries at first elliptic, iinally almost 

 as broad as long. June, July. 



p. lavvuscvAa. Wood. (D. quaternata. Pursh.') La)S. smooth both sides, mar- 

 gin slightly wavy ; otherwise indistinguishable from variety a. 



Order CLI. SMILACE^.— Sarsaparillas. 



Herbs or shrubs, often climbinj. Lvs. reticulate-veined. 



Fls. dia?clous or perfect. Perianth free from the ovary, 6-parted, regular. 



Sta. 6, inserted into the base of the segments. 



Ova. 3-celled ; cells 1 or many-seeded. ' 



Ft. — Berry roundish, few or many-seeded. Serd.9 with cartilaginous albumen. 



Genera 2, species 120, thinly disseminated throush most countries. The diuretic and demulcent aarsa- 

 pariUas are the roots of several chietiy S. American species of Smilax. 



SMILAX. 



Gr. iTjuXjf, a grater ; the stems of some species are rough with prickles. 



Flowers c? 9 ; perianth broad-campanulate. S' Anthers adnate. 

 9 Style minute ; stigmas 3 ; berry 3-celled, 1 — 3-seeded. — % of 

 shrubby., mostly climbing by stipular tendrils, often prickly. Lvs. entire.^ 

 petiolate, palmately veined. Fls. umbellate. 



* Stem shriibby and prickly. 



1. S. ROTUNmroLiA (and caduca. Linn. S. quadrangularis. Ph.) 



St. terete or sub-4-sided, flexuous, aculeate, ligneous, climbing; ^r5. short- 

 petiolate, roundish-ovate, acuminate, subcordate, a little paler and glaucous 

 beneath, 5 — 7-veined, glabrous ; ped. axillary, solitary, many-flowered, longer 

 than the petioles ; berries black, glaucous. — A strong, thorny vine, extending 

 10 — 40f in hedges and thickets, TJ. S. and Can. Stem woody, smooth, except 

 the scattered thorns which proceed from the wood. Branches 4-angled. Leaves 

 2 — 3' by 14 — 3', cordate or lapering at base. Tendrils strong, from the top of 

 the wings of the petioles. Flowers small, greenish, in small, axillary umbels. 

 Berries round, black. June. 

 /?. caduca. Smaller, with ovate leaves shorter than the peduncles, 

 y. quadrangularis. St. unarmed above, obtusely 4-angled ; lvs. ovate, 



2. S. SARSAPARiLLA. Mcdlcinal Sarsa.parilla. 



''St. slightly 4-angled, aculeate above; lvs. unarmed, elliptical-ovate, 

 cuspidate, abrupt, 3-veined, glaucous beneath ; pcd. longer than the short peti- 

 oles." — In swampy thickets, Penn. to Car. Pursh. Root long, slender, with a 

 thick bark brown externally, white within. Stem stout, .somewhat flexuous, 

 armed with a few scattered, hooked prickles. Leaves finally nearly orbicular, 

 2 — 3' diam., abruptly contracted at each end, with 3 strong veins and 2 lateral 

 snialler secondary ones. Petioles short, margined, with 2 tendrils. Flowers . 

 in small, thin umbels, yellowish-white. Berries (red, WoodviUe, black, Pursh.) 

 3-seeded. 



3. S. LAURiFOLiA, Laurel-leaved Green Brier. 



St. aculeate, terete, branches unarmed; lvs. coriaceou.s, oval-lanceoiate, 



