PLATE 339. 



SMILAX KBAUSSIANA, Meisn. (Fl. Cap. Vol. VI., p. 256.) 

 Natural Order, LILIAOEA 



A dioecious climbing plant with yellow-green flowers in axillary umbels. Root- 

 stock woody. Stems slender, woody, glabrous, striate, wide climbing. Leaves 

 alternate, petiolate, broadly ovate to oblong, entire, rounded or subcordate at base, 

 apex with a recurved mucro, 5-veined, the submarginal veins not so distinct as the 

 three central ones, dark green, glabrous and shining; 3 to 4 inches long, 2 to 4 

 inches wide ; petiole % to f inch long, with a pair of strong spirally curved tendrils 

 at base. Inflorescence axillary, umbellate, umbels globose, many flowered ; 

 peduncles f to 1 inch long, sub-amplexicaul, with a thick fleshy ovate bract at base, 

 and two opposite dissimilar bracts one third from base, the lower of which encloses 

 a leaf bud, the upper one amplexicaul and slightly decurrent. the apex of the 

 peduncle dilated into a globose receptacle ; pedicels equal in length, much longer 

 than the flowers, bracteate at base, the bracts irregxilar in shape. Male flowers, 

 perianth i inch long, yellow-green, segments distinct, obtuse, recurved. Stamens 



6. inserted at base of perianth lobes, filaments filiform , anthers oblong, basifixed, 

 shorter than the filaments, rudimentary ovary none. Female flowers, perianth 

 similar to those of the male ; staminodia 3, filiform. Ovary sessile, 3-celled, cells 

 1-ovuled. Berry subglobose, 2 to 4-seeded. Ripe seeds not seen. 



Habitat : NATAL : Coast districts. In woods near Durban, Cooper, No. 2035 ; 

 Inanda, 1800 feet alt, Wood, No. 594 ; Drege, No. 4503 ; Krauss, No. 316 ; Oerrard, 

 No 293; Gueinzius; Sanderson; Plant; near Durban, 150 feet alt, January, Wood. 

 Also in Transvaal and Mozambique. 



Drawn and described from specimens gathered near Durban, January, 1904. 



The genus Smilax includes some 200 species widely scattered. It is perhaps 

 best known as containing the plant which yields the " Sarsaparilla" of commerce, 

 which consists of the roots, not only of 8. sarsaparilla, but of several other allied 

 species inhabiting central America. One of the species of this genus is used for 

 the purpose of making bowls of tobacco pipes and it is stated by Baron Mueller 

 that nearly three millions of them are made in a year. I am not aware whether 

 or not our plant has been tested for its medicinal properties. It is commonly 

 known as " Wacht-en-Betje" and to the natives as " i-Yala." 



Fig. 1, branch with pistillate flower ; 2, pistillate flower ; 3, staminate flower ; 

 4, stamen ; 5, bract from base of pedicel ; 6, portion of peduncle showing bracts ; 



7, bract from base of peduncle ; except Fig. 1, all enlarged. 



