37*2 SMILACEiE. 



SMILAX, Tourn. Greenbrier. 



An ancient Greek name of obscure meaning. 



Dioecious or polygamous. Perianth of G equal spread- 

 ing segments, deciduous. Stamens mostly 6, inserted at 

 the base of the perianth segments : filaments short. 

 Stigmas 3, thick, on a very short stylo. Berry globular, 

 1 to 3-cellcd, 1 to 3 -seeded. Seeds globose, suspended, 

 orthotropous. — Shrubs, or rarely perennial herbs, often ever- 

 green und prickly .climbing by tendrils on the petioles, with greenish 

 stems, cordate or ovate leaves, and small flowers in axillary pcduncled 

 umbels. 



Sec. i. Smilas proper. — Stems woody, often prickly ; ovuks eolitary. 



* Leaves broad, thiclcish, of ten persistent. 



1. S. rotundifolia, L. Common Greenbrier. 



Stem nearly round; branchlets more or less 4-angular ; leaves round-ovate, often 

 broader than long, slightly cordate, abruptly short pointed, 5-ncrved ; peduncles 

 scarcely longer than the petioles. 



Moist thickets, common. June. Stems armed with stout scattered priekles, 

 often climbing 20 to 30 feet. Flowers yellowish-green in email globose axillary 

 umbels. Berries bluish-black. 



2. S. QUADRANGULARis,Willd. Square-stemmed Greenbrier. 



Branches and branchlets square, armed with stout scattered prickles; leaves 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at base, 3 to 5-nerved; peduncles 

 about the length of the petioles. 



Dry woods. Juno, July. Leaves about 3 inches lonjr, y z as wide, thinnish, some- 

 times minutely rough-ciliate on the margin. Flowers greenish-yellow. Berries 

 black. 



** Leaves, broad, thin, entirely deciduous', pricldcs bristle lile. 



3. S. HISPIDA, Muhl. Hispid Greenbrier. 



Stem round, the lower part very hispid; leaves ovate, mostly heart-shaped, point- 

 ed, strongly 5-nerved; peduncles 6 to 10-flowcred, 2 or G times the length of tho 

 petioles. 



Moist thickets. Juno. Stern climbing high, densely beset below with shining 

 brown weak and slender prickles ; the flowering branches often naked. Leaves 3 

 to 5 inches long, minutely rough on the margins, bright green on both sides. Pe- 

 duncles 1% to 2 inches long. 



Sac. h. Coprosjl4.ntiiu3, Torr. — Stem herbaceous, not prickly. Leaves long- 

 petioled, thin. 



4. S. HERBACEA, L. Carrion-Flower. 



Stem ■erect and recurving, or climbing ; leaves ovate-oblong or rounded, mostly 

 heart shaped, 7 to 9-nerved. mucronate or pointed, smooth; tendrils sometimes 

 none; peduncles very long, compressed. 



Moist meadows and river-banks, common. June. Stem 3 io fl feet long, climb- 

 ing or leaning on other plants. Leaves very variable, on petioles 1 to 3 inches 

 long. Flowers numerous, on peduncles 3 to 6 inches long, yellowish-green in glo- 

 bose axillary umbels of about an inch in diameter, exhaling the stench of carrion. 



