Gen. Char. Perianth 6-parted. Stamens 6. Styles 3. Berry 3-celled ; cells
' ' Y c t i t iLYn?h?Order. Koiocrs corymbose, axillary. Shrubs, climbing
bv means of tlieir tendrils, with stems tha t are generally prickly. Leaves
with veiny disks. The tendrils are intrapetiolar stipules.
In British gardens, they grow in sandy loam, and are readily propagated by
divYon of th i root. T liy r ir e not s h o ly , but they are interesting from them
climbing character, as being generally evergreen and as fo®'"®
hardy ligneous plants which belong to the grand division of vegetables Monocotyìedòneae,
§ i. Stems pricldy and angtdar.
t- 1 .6 ’. a ' s p e r a L . The rough Smilax.
Ideniijication. I.in. Sp., 1468. ; Vili. D au p h ., 3. p. 272. ; Mart. Mill., Nu. 1.
Synonymes. Rough Binilweed ; Rogo acerbone, lío /.
Engravings. Schk. Han., 3. 328. ; and o u r * . 2042.
Svec. Char., f r . Stem prickly, angular ; leaves toothed and prickly, cordate,
9-nerved. (Willd.) A climbing evergreen. South of Europe, Asia Minor,
and Africa. Height Sft. to 10ft. Introduced in 1618. Flowers whitish ;
July. Berries re d ; ripe in September.
Varieties. , , ? .
fl- S. a. 2 auricuiàta Ait. — Leaves ear-shaped at the base,
fl- S. a. 3 mauritánica. S. mauritánica P o ì V . Introduced in 1820, and
there are plants in the Horticultural Society’s
Garden, and in some private collections.
The roots are thick and fleshy, spreading wide, and
striking deep ; and they are sometimes sold by the
druggists of the South o f Europe for those of S. Sarsaparilla,
as they possess nearly the same qualities, but in
an inferior degree ; they are also larger, and more
porous. In British gardens, this species, which is perhaps
the handsomest of those which are hardy, is commonly
trained against a wall; but it will also attach itself
to rough stakes or trelliswork, though it seldom flowers
when so tre a ted . wvi. s. fepen,.
Í- 2. S. e x c e ' l s a L . The tall Smilax.
Identification. Lin. Sp., 1458. ; Ait. H o rt. Kew., ed. 2., 5.
Synanyines. S. orientàlis, &c„ T onrn. Cor. 46., B u x . Cent. 1.
18. ; S . á s p e . a e d . 2. 140.
Engravings. Bvix. Cent., l . t . 27.; Alp. iEgypt., ed .2 ., t.l4 1 . ;
&nd our fig . 2043.
Spec. Char., f r . Stem prickly, angular. Leaves
unarmed, cordate, 9-nei'ved. (WiUd.) A climbing
evergreen shrub. Syria. Height 6 ft. to
12 ft., introduced in 1739. Flowers greenish
white ; August and September. Berries red or
black ; ripe in November.
Stems 4-cornered, and prickly; mounting to
the tops of tall trees, by means of their clasping
tendrils. Leaves 2 in. long, and 1} in. broad at
the base, having 5 longitudinal nerves, bnt no
spines on their margins. The roots resemble and
possess the same qualities as those of S. áspera,
but are inferior to those of S. Sarsaparilla.
2043- S. eicélsA.
Í, 3. S. R u 'B E N S Wats. The red-tendriled Smilax.
Identification. Watson Dend. Brit-, t. 108.
Engravings. Dend. Brit., t. 108. ; and our fig . 2044.
Spec. Char., i^-c. Stem angular, prickly. Leaves ovate-subcordate, rather
obtuse, mucronate, coriaceous, 5-nerved ; margin
mucronate-denticulate near th eb a se . (Wats.) A
hand.sonie evergreen climbing shrub. North America,
in woods and by streams. Height 3 ft. to
4 ft. Flowers greenish white; July.
J. 4. S. Sahs.-ipari'lla L. The medicinal Smilax,
or Sarsaparilla.
Identification. Lin. .Sp., 14.69. ; P ursh Fl. Amer. Sept., I. p 249
Sytmnymes. .8 peruviana SarsaparUla Ger. Emac. 8.69. ; S. gl.alica
S r i i l g i S r i l “ " - fr" ' 'toglaucous-le aved S ili,ax ;
Derivation. Sarsaparilla is compounded of two Spanish words •
VIZ., xarza, red, aud partila, a little vine. ’
Engravings. Dend. Brit., t. 111.:
and ouv fig . 2045.
Sjiec. Char., 4c. Stem prickly,
angular. Leaves unarmed,
ovate-lanceolate, ending in
2014. S. rùbeiis.
^ a long sharp point ; 5-nerved, glaucous beneath.
. -f, QVilld.) An evergreen climbing shrub. North and
£ j/.( South America. Height 3 ft. to 4 ft. Introduced
'J-'' in 1664. Flowers greenish white; August.
_ Stems shrubby, long, slender, and climbing. Roots
divided into several long slender branches, which are
somewhat thicker than a goose-quill, straight, brown
on their exterior, but white internally, and from 3 ft.
to 4 ft. long. Sarsaparilla, on its first introduction,
was considered as a specific against numerous dis-
2015. s sar ad! ^ is Still emplovcd Ìli rheuuiatic couiphiiuts,
rtapar a. scrofulu, and all cutaneous diseases.
5. S. HASTA TA WUld. The Spear-shaped Smilax,
Ì. ; P ursh F l. Amer.Identification. Willd. Sp. P i., 4 p Sept., 1. p. 249.;
Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. - . .
Michx. Fl. Amer. 2. p. 237.; S. áspera var. La?n.
Engravings. P lu k . Aim., t. 111. f. 3. ; and our fig. 2046.
Sjiec, Char.y 4<^- Stem subarmed. Leaves
lanceolate, acuminate ; auriculate, or spear-
shaped, at the base ; ciliated or prickly
on the margin ; 3—5 nerves. Bernes - g
round. (Willd.) An evergreen climbing
snrub. Carolina and Florida, on the sea-
coast. Height 4 ft. to 5 ft. Introduced in 1820. Flowers
green ; August and September.
S_ 6. S. Wa'tson/ Swt. Mr. Watson’s Smilax.
Identificaiion. Swt. Ilo rt. Brit,, 3. p. 681
Synonymes. S longifòlia Wats. Dend. B r it.; S. h . 2 lanceolàta Arb. Brit.
1st eu lt. p. 2.512.
Engravings. Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 110. ; and onr fig . 2047.
Spec. Char., Sjc. Stem prickljq angular. Lcaves ovate, acuminated,
somewhat cordate a t the base, glabrous, 3—5-
nerved. Berries elliptic. An evergreen climbing shrub.
North America. Height 3 ft. to 5 ft. Introduced in 1820,
20 !7 . S’. Vl'iitsoni, or before. Flowers greenish ; August.
fl_ 7. S. W a l t e ' r j / Pursh. Walter’s Smilax.
Identification. P u rsh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1. p. 249.
Si/iwnyme. S. China Watt. Fl. Car. p. 24-5.
Engraving. Ourfig. . in p.
Spec. Char., f r . Stem prickly. Leaves ovate-cordate, smooth, 3-nerved
Berries acuminate. (Pursh.) A climbing evergreen shrub. Virginia and
4 A 4