36 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY. 



bright green ; peduncle longer than the erect or slightly declined 

 flower, sepals lanceolate-acute, 1-1 1^ in. long, petals white fading to 

 pink, longer than the sepals ; stamens less than half the length of 

 the petals ; style short, stigmas recurved, fruit a black globose berry. 

 April-May. In rich woods. 



15. SMILACE^. SMILAX FAMILY. 



Mostly woody climbing vines with prickly steins ; leaves 

 alternate, prominently nerved, netted-veined, petioled, stipules 

 replaced by persistent tendrils ; flowers dioecious, small, 

 greenish, in axillary umbels ; perianth segments 6 ; stamens 6, 

 distinct; ovary 3-celled, 3-6-ovuled, stigmas 1-3, sessile or 

 nearly so ; fruit a 1-6-seeded globose berry. 



SMILAX. 



Rootstock often large and tuberous ; stems usually woody, 

 cliinbing by tendrils ; leaves entire or lobed ; petioles sheath- 

 ing; flowers regular, perianth bell-shaped, the 6 segments 

 equal and deciduous ; stamens 6, inserted on the base of the 

 perianth ; ovary free, 1-3-celled, 3-6-ovuled, stigmas 1-3 ; 

 berry 1-6-seeded. 



1. S. HERB ACE A L. Carrion-flower. Stem herbaceous, erect, 

 simple or branched, not prickly, 1-3 ft. high ; leaves few, ovate, 

 acute and mucronate at the apex, somewhat cordate at the base, 

 5-7-nerved, thin, smooth above, pubescent below, the upper sometimes 

 whorled and the lower bract-like ; petioles short ; peduncles as long- 

 as the leaves, growing from below the petioles ; umbel many-flowered, 

 flowers carrion-scented; berry blue-black, 2-4-seeded. April-June. 

 Dry, fertile soil. 



2. S. GLAUCA Walt. Glaucous Greenbrier. Stem terete, 

 slender, with scattered prickles, branches angled, and usually without 

 prickles ; leaves ovate or subcordate, pointed at the apex, mostly 

 5-nerved, smooth, white-glaucous beneath, margins entire ; peduncles 

 flattened, 2-3 times as long as the petioles, few-flowered ; berry black, 

 3-seeded. May-June. Margins of swamps. 



3. S. BoN-NOx L. Bristly Greenbrier. Stem stout, terete 

 or slightly angled, scurfy when young, armed with numerous stout 



