Obder 145.— SMILAOE^. ?01 



Genera 7, species 150.— The only recnarkable or usefal product of this order is Tame^ an 

 important article of food in all tropical countries. They are the large, mucilaginous, sweetish 

 tubers of Dioscorea sativa, &c, 



8. DIOSCO'REA, L. Yam Root. (In honor of Pedacius Dioscorides, 

 a Greek physician and florist of about the reiga of Nero.) Flowers $ 

 $ ; styles of the fertile flowers 3 ; cells of the capsule 2-seeded ; seeds 

 membranaceously margined. — Slender, shrubby climbers, twining with 

 the sun. Lvs. simple and palmately veined or palmately divided. Fls. 

 green, inconspicuous, in axillary spikes or panicles. 



1 D. villosa L. "Wild Tam. Lva. broad-ovate, cordate, acuminate, 9 — 11-veined, 

 the margin entire or wavy, lower surface downy or glabrous, never villous ; upper 

 surface glabrous ; petioles elongated, the lowest somewhat verticillate in 4s, the 

 next subopposite, the middle and upper alternate ; i plant with the spil^es pani- 

 culate, S with the spilies simple. — A delicate twining vine, in thickets and 

 hedges, U. S. and Can., rare in N. Eng. Stem woolly, reddish-brown, 1 — 2" 

 diam., 5 — 10 — 15f long, running over bushes and fences. Leaves 2 — i' long, f 

 as wide, distinctly cordate and acuminate. Petioles 2 — 4' long. Peduncles axil- 

 lary. Ovaries at first elliptic, fi.nally a,lmost as broad as long. June, July, (D. 

 quarternata Ph.) 



2 D. sativa L. Yak. Lvs. alternate, roundish-ovate, long-cuspidate, sinu- 

 ate-cordate, glabrous, 9 to 1 3-nerved, outer nerves bifid, transverse veins simple ; 

 St. terete, smooth ; $ spikes densely paniculate ; 9 spikes aggregate. Tar. ACU- 

 LEATA, stems aculeate. — Native of E. India. This species, with its varieties, is 

 understood to be that which is known as the Sweet Yam, cultivated in Ga. and 

 Ha, and all tropical countries, on account of its sweet and nutritious tutjers. :j: 



Okdbr CXLV. SMILACEjE. Sarsapakillas. 



Serbs or shrubs, often climbing. Leaves reticulate-veined. Flowers dioecious 

 or monoecious. Perianth free from the ovary, 6-parted, regular. Stamens 6, in- 

 serted into the base of the segments, Anih. 1-oelled (2-lamellate). Ovary 3-celled ; 

 cells 1 or many-seeded. Style 1 or none. Stigmas 3. Berry roundish, few or 

 many-seeded. Seeds orthotropous albuminous. Pig, 586, 



Genera 2, species 120, thinly disseminated through most countries. The diuretic and emnl- 

 cent Barsaparillas are the roots of several, chiefly S. American species of Smilax. 



SMFLAX, L. Gkeen Brier. Sarsapaeilla. (Gr. CTjlh'A?;, a grater ; 

 from its prickly stems.) Flowers $ ? , perianth deciduous, of 6 simi- 

 lar, spreading, sepaloid segments ; $ stamens 6, on the base of the seg- 

 ments and shorter than they ; anthers adnate ; ? stamen 0, or sterile 

 filaments ; stigmas 3, sessile ; berry globular, 1 to 3-ceIled, 1 to 6- 

 seeded. — M Herbs or shrubs, mostly climbing by stipular tendrils, often 

 prickly. Lvs. entire, petiolate, palmately veined. Fls. green or yellow- 

 ish, in axillary, stalked umbels, (In the elaboration of this genus we 

 have been greatly aided by the accurate observations of Dr. Feay, of 

 Savannah,) 



§ CopROSMANTiius, Herbaccous (unarmed). Leaves long-petioled. Flowers fcetid. (*) 



t * Leaves glabrous on both sides. Stems climbing Nos. 14, 15 



' * Leaves downy or hispid on the veins beneath. Erect or climbing No.s. 12, 13 



§ Smtlax proper. Shrubby, armed or not. Leaves short-petioled, Seeds 1 to 3. (*) 



* Pubescent, prostrate, unarmed. Leaves cordate, evergreen. South No. 11 



* Glabrous, climbing. Leaves acute at base. Peduncle shorter than petiole Nos. 9, 10 



* Glabrous, climbing. Leaves abrupt or cordate at base, (a) 



a Leaves panduriform or somewhat contracted in the middle Nos, 7, 8 



a Leaves ovate or oblong, deciduous, (b) . 



b Plants unarmed Nos, 6, 6 



b Plants pricltly. — Leaves glaucous, especially beneath No. 4 



— Leaves green on both sides Nos. 1 — 3 



1 S. rottindifolia L. Common Green Brier. St. terete or sub-4-sided, flex- 

 uous, acvleate, ligneous, climbing ; bis. short-petiolate, roundisJi-ovaie, 5 to V-veined, 



