300 SMILAX FAMILY 



parallel veins; flowers dioecious, in axillary umbels; sepals 3, petals 3, 

 separate, stamens 6, stigmas 1-3, ovary 3-celled; fruit a 1-6-seeded 

 globose berry. 



A family of 3 genera, found in warm and temperate regions. 



Smilax Linne 1753 

 (Greek name of a woody climber) 



Vines, with tendril-like appendages at the base of the petals; leaves 

 alternate, simple, entire, or sometimes lobed, the lower ones reduced to 

 scales, veins 3-7; flowers small, greenish, in axillary 6-80-flowered umbels j 

 sepals and petals similar, separate, 3 each ; stamens 6, on the bases of the 

 sepals and petals, staminate flowers without a pistil, pistillate flowers 

 with 1-6 imperfect stamens, ovary 3-celled; berry globose, black or bluish 

 black. 



Propagation by seeds. 



A genus of about 195 species, widely distributed, but especially abun- 

 dant in tropical America and Asia; 16 species occur in the United States. 



Key to the Species 



1. Stem not prickly, annual and herbaceous S. hcrbacea 



2. Stem prickly, perennial and woody, 



(a) Stem very prickly, leaves mostly 7-nerved S. hispid a 



(b) Stem with few prickles, leaves mostly 



5 -nerved S. ro fundi folia 



Smilax herbacea L inne 1753 Carrion-flower 

 S. pulverulenta Michaux 1803 



Stem 2-8 ft. high, annual but more or less woody, arising from short 

 thick tubers; leaves ovate-oblong to ovate or round, the margin entire or 

 minutely toothed, tip abruptly sharp-pointed, base heart-shaped, smooth 

 and green above, gray-downy or flaky below, thin, veins 5-9, 5-15 cm. 

 long, 4-12 cm. wide, petioles 3-8 cm. long, with two or more tendrils at 

 the base; umbels 15-80-flowered on peduncles 2-20 cm. long, flowers 

 greenish, ill-smelling, 6-8 mm. wide, on pedicels 1-2 cm. long; befries 

 bluish black, 2-4-seeded, 6-8 mm. diameter; herbacea, herb-like, re- 

 ferring to the annual habit. 



Frequent throughout the state, especially in woodlands; New Bruns- 

 wick-Fla-Tex-Nebr-Saskatchewan. 



The variety ecirrhata, which lacks tendrils, is found in the south- 

 eastern part of the state. 



