356 



SMILACE^E. 



DIOSCOREA. Linn. Yam. 

 (In honor of the celebrated Greek naturalist, Dioscorides.) 



Dioecious. Perianth 6-parted. STERILE FL. Stamens 6, 

 3 sometimes barren. Filaments subulate. FERTILE FL. Styles 

 distinct nearly to the base. Capsule 3 -celled, triangular ; the 

 angles winged. Seeds membranaceously winged. 



1. D. vittosa Linn.: leaves alternate, opposite and verticillate, cordate, 

 acuminate, pubescent beneath, 9 11-nerved; lateral nerves simple. D, 

 paniculata Mich. 



Woods. Can. to Car. May, June. 1\.. Stem climbing, sometimes 10 or 12 

 feet long. Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes subopposite, rarely in whorls of 

 4. Flowers minute, pale greenish-yellow ; the sterile ones in pendulous pani- 

 cles ; fertile ones in pendulous simple racemes. Hairy Yam. 



2. D. quaternata Walt. : leaves verticillate in fours, or alternate, cordate, 

 acuminate, smooth on both sides, 7-nerved ; lateral nerves bifid. D.glauca 

 Muhl. 



Old fields. Penn. to Car. July. 1J-. Stem climbing. Leaves more tapering 

 at the summit than in the preceding, of which, however, it may be only a 

 variety. Smooth Yam. 



ORDER CXXX. SMILACE^E. SARSAPARILLAS. 



Flowers perfect or dioecious. Perianth petaloid, 6- (rarely 4-) 

 parted or 6-leaved in a double series. Stamens 6, (rarely 4,) 

 inserted into the perianth, rarely hypogynous. Ovary 3-celled ; 

 styles 3, distinct or united. Fruit a roundish berry. Seeds 

 with horny albumen. Herbaceous plants or under shrubs, 

 usually climbing. Leaves simple, mostly entire, reticulated. 



1. SMILAX. Linn. Green Brier. 



(Greek <r/Xa, from o-pA*?, a knife or scraper ; most of the species being armed 

 with prickles.) 



Dioecious. Perianth campanulate, spreading, of 6 leaves hi 

 a double series, somewhat petaloid. STERILE FL. Stamens 

 mostly 6. Filaments short. FERTILE FL. Style very short 

 Stigmas 3, thick. Berry 3- (or by abortion 1 2-) celled. 

 Seeds 1 3, globose. 



* Stem shrubby. 



1. quadrangularis WiUd.: prickly; stem 4-angled, unarmed above; 

 leaves unarmed, ovate, subcordate, acute, 5-nerved. 



Dry woods. Penn. to Car. June, July. \i. Berry black. Pursh. 



Square-stalked Greenbrier. 



2. & spinidosa Smith : stem terete, very prickly, with slightly recurved 



