Smilax
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Smilax L.
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For a history of sarsaparillas, see the page Salsepareille (fr).
Contents
Biology
There are about 300 species, distributed in all the continents and climates.
- All species are dioecious.
- Most are prickly
- Most have petiolar paired tendrils
- Most are climbers, some being more bushy.
- Leaves are alternate, petiolate, entire, acute.
- Inflorescences are simple umbels or racemes of umbels.
- Fruit is a berry
Classification
Smilax L. (1753)
Species
Species important against syphilis
'True' sarsaparillas came from the Americas. They are :
- Smilax regelii, Honduras sarsaparilla
- Smilax aristolochiifolia, Mexican (or Veracruz) sarsaparilla
- Smilax febrifuga, Equador sarsaparilla
- Smilax spruceana, Pará sarsaparilla
China root, Smilax china, imported from China, has to be added.
Their classification and nomenclature remain confuse, as sarsaparillas were designated in trade by their geographical origins, and they were gathered in the wild. As they no longer have any importance in international trade and pharmacopaeas, there is quite no recent synthesis.
Species eaten for their starchy rhizome
Some species are eaten for their starchy rhizomes:
List of all species on Pl@ntUse
- Smilax anceps
- Smilax aristolochiifolia
- Smilax aspera
- Smilax auriculata
- Smilax australis
- Smilax blumei
- Smilax bona-nox
- Smilax bracteata
- Smilax californica
- Smilax calophylla
- Smilax china
- Smilax corbularia
- Smilax discotis
- Smilax domingensis
- Smilax febrifuga
- Smilax ferox
- Smilax glabra
- Smilax glauca
- Smilax glaucochina
- Smilax glaucophylla
- Smilax glyciphylla
- Smilax goetzeana
- Smilax havanensis
- Smilax herbacea
- Smilax ilicifolia
- Smilax lanceifolia
- Smilax laurifolia
- Smilax leucophylla
- Smilax lunglingensis
- Smilax luzonensis
- Smilax macrocarpa
- Smilax mairei
- Smilax megacarpa
- Smilax menispermoidea
- Smilax moranensis
- Smilax myosotiflora
- Smilax nana
- Smilax nipponica
- Smilax ocreata
- Smilax officinalis
- Smilax ovalifolia
- Smilax papyracea
- Smilax perfoliata
- Smilax pseudochina
- Smilax regelii
- Smilax riparia
- Smilax rotundifolia
- Smilax schomburgkiana
- Smilax scobinicaulis
- Smilax sieboldii
- Smilax spinosa
- Smilax spruceana
- Smilax stans
- Smilax tamnoides
- Smilax verticalis
- Smilax zeylanica
References
- Kubitzki K. (ed.), 1990- on going. The families and genera of vascular plants. Berlin, Heidelberg, New-York, Springer. 3. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. Lilianae (except Orchidaceae). 1998. X-478 p.
