LV. 



SARSAPARILLA. 



(SMILAX MEDICA.*) 



Stnokyms. — Smilax aspera peruviana sive Sarsaparilla, Bank. fli*., p. 296, 

 Smilax peruviana Sarsaparilla, Ger. jEm. y p. 859, f. Smilax viticulo asperig 

 virginiana folio hederaceo leni Zarga nobilissima, Bluh. Alm. y p. 348, 1. Ill; 

 Baii Supply p. 345. Smilax glauca ramis subteribus passim aculcatis foliis quaesi 

 cordato ovatibus acuminatis, Mich. Amer. y vol. ii. p. 237. Smilax Sarsaparilla, 



Willd 



Imilax 



medica, N. V. Esen. Smilax officinalis, ITumb. a)id Bonp. Nov, Gen. 



Foreign Names.— Ft. : Salsepareille. Ital. : Salsapariglia. Span. : Sarza- 

 parilla. Fort. : Salsa-parrilha. Germ. : Sarsaparell, Sassaparille. But. ; Sarsa- 

 parille. Swed. : Sassaparill. Ban. : Sarsaparill. Buss, : Sassaparel. 



Nat. Order, Smilace^e, Lindl. — Dicecia, Hexandria. 



Gen. Chae. — Dioecious. Perianth six-parted, nearly equal, spreading. 

 Male flowers: Stamens six. Anthers erect. Female flowers : Perianth 

 permanent. Ovary three-celled ; the cells one-seeded. Style very short. 

 Stigmas three. Berry one to three-seeded. Seeds roundish. Albumen 

 cartilaginous. Embryo remote from the hilum. 



Spec. Chae. — Stems angular, twining, armed at the joints with straight 

 prickles. Leaves shortly acuminate, smooth. Inflorescence an eight or 

 twelve-flowered umbel. Fruit red, size of a small cherry. 



History. — This drug was introduced into Europe about the 

 middle of the sixteenth century, and soon afterwards became a 



Fig. 1. Calyx and anthers. 2, 3, 4. The fruit. 



* Four different species of Smilax are supposed to yield the Sarsaparilla of 

 commerce, viz. : Smilax officinalis (Kunth), Smilax medica (Schlecht), Smilax 

 syphilitica (Willd.), and Smilax Sarsaparilla (Linn.) The Smilax medica, from 

 Nees Yon Escnbeck's beautiful work, has been figured as the type of the genus. 



