164 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



THE SARSAPAEILLA AND YAM ALLIANCE. 



The Sarsaparilla Family. 



(Smilace^.) 



Perennial, often csespitose, woody stemmed climbers, with 

 slender root-like rhizomes, rarely herbaceous. Leaves al- 

 ternate. 



This family somewhat resembles the next, but is techni- 

 cally distinguished by characters in the flower and fruit ; also 

 by their stems being firm and woody, and the leaves more 

 permanent. 



This alliance presents externally all the characters of ram- 

 bling, evergreen, exogenous shrubs. Their flowers are small, 

 and generally dioecious. The family is composed of about 

 120 species, being widely distributed in both tropical and 

 temperate countries. From the genus Smilax the celebrated 

 and well-known medicine Sarsaparilla is obtained, being 

 extracted from the rhizome-like roots of several species. 

 It varies in quality, and consequently in both value and 

 usefulness according to the country and particular spe- 

 cies from which it is obtained. The principal imports are 

 from the West Indies, Brazil, and other parts of tropical 

 America. Smilax officinalis^ S. siphilitica, and other species 

 also produce the extract ; as also species from the East Indies 

 and China. >S'. aspera and 8. mauritanica are natives of 

 countries adjoining the Mediterranean, and are hardy in 

 sheltered situations in this country. 



Allied to Smilaceas is the family Philesiaceae, which con- 

 sists of two known genera — viz., Philesia huxifolia, a pretty 

 evergreen shrub with pink tubular flowers. It is a native of 

 Chili, and extends to the Straits of Magellan. The other is 

 the still more beautiful greenhouse-climber Lapageria rosea^ 

 with pendulous, lily-like flowers of Arm substance, and of a 

 fine pale crimson or rich rosy colour spotted with white. 



