Smilax

• Authority

  Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.

• Family

  Smilacaceae

• Scientific Name

  Smilax

• Description

  Description - Herbaceous or slightly woody vines, dioecious, with farinaceous rhizomes. Stems cylindrical, strong and flexible, sometimes with spines. Leaves alternate, simple, with the main veins arcuate, parallel; petioles with a pair of filamentous tendrils at their union with the leaf sheath. Flowers unisexual, 3-merous, actinomorphic, produced in axillary umbels. Staminate flowers with 6 stamens, the anthers basifixed. Pistillate flowers usually with staminodia; ovary 3-carpellate, with 1 or 2 ovules per carpel. Fruit fleshy, with 1-6 seeds. A genus of tropical or temperate vines, of about 350 species.