CHAP. cxv. .s-mila^cea;. .s-mj'lax. 25l^ 



§ ii. Sh'/n pricldij^ round. 

 4- 7. S. Chi^na L. The Chinese Smilax. 



Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 14;5n. ; WilM. Sp. PI., 4. p. 77S. ; Gron. Orient., 317 ■ Brown Jam %h<i ■ 

 Thunb. Jap., 1.52. ; Lour. Cooh., 6'i2. ; Mart. Mill., No. 6. ; Ait. Hort Kew wl ' 5 ,,18 ' 



S.V»on!/mes. China rkdix. Bank. Pin S9a, Park. Theat., 15-!8., Rail Hist..' (S57. 'Z vulgaris offi. 

 cni^rum Ger. Emac, Ifilb ; 5milax aspera minor Plum. Ic, 183. ; Sankira, vulso Qnaouara &c 

 lOenipfer Amocn. Ex., p. 781. > o ■< «, «.v... 



Engravings. Gmel. It., 3. t. 6. ; Blackw., t. 433. ; Ka-mpf. Amcen.. t 782 • Pluk Amal 

 t. 408. f. I. ' Amai., 



Spec. Char., Src Stem round, with a few spines ; leaves roundish-ovate, with 

 acute points, 5-nerved. (Wi/hl.) This is a climbing shrub, rising, m its 

 native country, to the height of 20 ft., with thick leaves, long tendri'ls, and 

 red berries. The root is very large, fleshy, and reddish : it is used for food, in 

 some parts of China, instead of rice ; and is considered extremely nourish- 

 ing. It is a native of China and Japan, and also of Jamaica ; and of Car- 

 thagena, in New Spain, whence Miller received it before 1759. Brown 

 found it in abundance in Jamaica, where the roots are used to feed ho^s. 

 When first brought to England, it was cultivated in the stove : it was after- 

 wards transferred to the green-house; and, in 1831, was planted out ao-ainst 

 a wall in the Horticultural Society's Garden, where it has remained "unin- 

 jured ever since. 



6- 8. 5'. rotundifo'lia Z. The round-leaved Smilax. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 1460. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 779. ; Mart. Mill., 7. : Ait. Hort Kew ed 2 

 5. p. 3s8. ; Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 2. p. 250. ; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. ' •' ■ ' 



Spec. Char., ^-c. Stem round, somewhat prickly. Leaves roundish-ovate, 

 or cordate, very smooth, 5-nerved. Berries spherical. {Willd.) A climb- 

 ing shrub, ascending to the height of about 6 ft., with flexnose stems, and 

 a very few straight prickles. Leaves naked, 5-nerved, wider than long, 

 acute, on short petioles, with 2 filiform tendrils. A native of North Ame- 

 rica, where, according to Pursh, it is common in hedgerows from Canada 

 to Carolina. It was found in Canada by Kalm, and sent by him to Eng- 

 land, where it was first cultivated by Archibald Duke of Argyll, in 1760. 

 There are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's. 



fl- 9. S. I-aurifo'lia L. The Laurel-leaved Smilax. 



Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 1460, ; Willd. Sp. PI., 4 , p. 779. ; Mart. Mill., No. 8. : Ait Hort Kew 



ed. 2., 5. p. 388. ; Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1. p. 250. ; Lodd. Cat, ed. 1836. ' 



St/noni/mes. S. altera, &c., Plum. Ic; S. lae'vis, &c., Catcsb. Car., 1. t. 15. 

 Engravings. Cat. Car., 1. t. 15. ; Plum. Ic. 



Spec.Ch.ar.,Src. Stems round; main stem prickly. Branches unarmed. Leaves 

 coriaceous, elliptic, 3-nerved. Umbels on very short peduncles. {Willd.) 

 A very handsome climbing shrub, rising 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, with smooth 

 coriaceous leaves (which, Linnasus says, are thicker than those of any of 

 the other species of 5'milax), and black berries. It is a native of North 

 America, in sandy boggy woods, from New Jersey to Georgia, and was in 

 cultivation in England, by Miller, before 1739. There are plants at Messrs. 

 Loddiges's. 



fl- 10. 5. TAaiNoi'DEs L. The black Bryony-like Smilax. 



Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 1460.; Willd. Sp. PI,, 4. p. 780. ; Mart. Mill., 9.; Pursh Fl Amer 



Sept., 1. p. 251. ; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. 

 Sifnonyme. S. Bryhm^ nigric. Sec, Catesb. Car., 1. t 52. 

 Engraving. Cat. Car., 1. t. 53. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Stem round and prickly. Leaves unarmed, cordate-oblong, 

 7-nerved. {Willd.) A climbing evergreen shrub, rather suffrutescent than 

 woody; with taper stems, and leaves 4 in. long, and 2^ in. broad at their 

 base, having 7 longitudinal veins. The flowers come" out in lonj loose 

 bunches from the sides of the stalks, and the berries are black. {Mill.) A 

 native of North America, in sandy wet woods and bogs in Virginia and 

 Carolina. It was cultivated by Miller before 1739, and flowers in June 



7 z 2 



