Genus of flowering plants in the family Smilacaceae
For another plant sometimes called smilax, see Asparagus asparagoides.
Smilax
Mediterranean smilax (S. aspera) in fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Clade:
Tracheophytes
Clade:
Angiosperms
Clade:
Monocots
Order:
Liliales
Family:
Smilacaceae
Genus:
Smilax L.
Type species
Smilax aspera
L.
Species
About 300–350 (see list)
Synonyms[1]
Nemexia Raf.
Parillax Raf.
Aniketon Raf.
Dilax Raf.
Coprosmanthus Kunth
Pleiosmilax Seem.
Sarsaparilla Kuntze
Smilax is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide.[1] They are climbing flowering plants, many of which are woody and/or thorny, in the monocotyledon family Smilacaceae, native throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Common names include catbriers, greenbriers, prickly-ivys and smilaxes. Sarsaparilla (also zarzaparrilla, sarsparilla) is a name used specifically for the Neotropical S. ornata as well as a catch-all term in particular for American species. Occasionally, the non-woody species such as the smooth herbaceous greenbrier (S. herbacea) are separated as genus Nemexia; they are commonly known by the rather ambiguous name carrion flowers.
Greenbriers get their scientific name from the Greek myth of Crocus and the nymph Smilax.[2] Though this myth has numerous forms, it always centers around the unfulfilled and tragic love of a mortal man who is turned into a flower, and a woodland nymph who is transformed into a brambly vine.
^ abKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Smilax ornata is a perennial trailing vine with prickly stems that is native to Mexico and Central America. Common names include sarsaparilla, Honduran...
Smilax rotundifolia, also known as roundleaf greenbrier or common greenbrier, is a woody vine native to the southeastern and eastern United States and...
Smilax aspera, with common names common smilax, rough bindweed, sarsaparille, and Mediterranean smilax, is a species of flowering vine in the greenbriar...
Smilax glauca, the cat greenbriar or catbriar is a woody vine in the family Smilacaceae. It is native to central and eastern portions of the United States...
Smilax china is a climbing plant species in the genus Smilax. It is native to China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Philippines...
Smilax tamnoides, common name bristly greenbrier, is a North American species of plants native to the United States and Canada. It is widespread from Ontario...
Smilax zeylanica is a plant species in the genus Smilax. Its leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes. The plant is widespread in India, and native...
Smilax officinalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Smilacaceae, native to southern Central America and northwest South America; Honduras...
Smilax aristolochiifolia, also known as gray sarsaparilla, Mexican sarsaparilla, sarsaparilla, is a species in the genus Smilax and the family Smilacaceae...
USCGC Smilax (WAGL/WLIC-315) is a 100-foot (30 m) United States Coast Guard Cosmos-class inland construction tender. Commissioned in 1944, Smilax is the...
Smilax medica can refer to: Smilax medica G.Kirchn., a synonym of Smilax tamnoides L. Smilax medica M.Martens & Galeotti, a synonym of Smilax bona-nox...
species of Smilax, Smilacaceae; in India Smilax aspera L., and Smilax ovalifolia Roxb.). It should be distinguished from Mexican Sarsaparilla Smilax aristolochiifolia...
soft drink, made from Smilax plants. Sarsaparilla may also refer to: Several species of plants, of the genus Smilax, including: Smilax ornata, also known...
Smilax glyciphylla, the sweet sarsaparilla, is a dioecious climber native to eastern Australia. It is widespread in rainforest, sclerophyll forest and...
Smilax herbacea, the smooth carrionflower or smooth herbaceous greenbrier, is a plant in the catbriar family. It is native to eastern Canada (Quebec, Ontario...
commonly known as bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper, gnarboola, smilax or smilax asparagus, is a herbaceous climbing plant of the family Asparagaceae...
Smilax auriculata is a North American plant species native to the Bahamas, the Turks & Caicos Islands, and the southeastern United States. Common names...
Smilax glabra, sarsaparilla, is a plant species in the genus Smilax. It is native to China, the Himalayas, and Indochina. S. glabra is a traditional medicine...
Smilax australis (lawyer vine, austral sarsaparilla, barbwire vine, or "wait-a-while") is a vine in the family Smilacaceae, endemic to Australia. It has...
Eurema smilax, the small grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Australia, with some additional records from India, Indonesia and Niger...
Smilax lasioneura, the Blue Ridge carrionflower, is a North American species of flowering plants in the greenbriar family. It is widespread across central...
Smilax azorica is a species of flowering plants of the Smilacaceae family. The species is endemic to the Azores. It was first described in 1844 as Smilax...
Smilax pumila, the sarsaparilla vine, is a North American species of plants native to the southeastern United States from eastern Texas to South Carolina...
Smilax maritima is a North American species of plants native to the south-eastern United States from Texas to North Carolina. Smilax maritima is a branching...
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