Smilax is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. In China for example about 80 are found, while there are 20 in North America north of Mexico. 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 is a name used specifically for the Jamaican 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 are separated as genus Nemexia; they are commonly known by the rather ambiguous name carrion flowers.
Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum, the east Maui silversword or Haleakala silversword, is a rare plant, part of the family Asteraceae. The silversword in general is referred to as ʻāhinahina in Hawaiian.
Polyscias racemosa, or false 'ohe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. As Munroidendron racemosum, the species was until recently considered to be the only species in the monotypic genus Munroidendron. With the change in classification, Munroidendron is now obsolete. Polyscias racemosa is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is very rare in the wild and some of its original habitat has been replaced by sugar cane plantations. It was thought for some time to be probably extinct, but was rediscovered a few years prior to 1967.
Neraudia is a genus of plants in family Urticaceae. All five species are endemic to Hawaii. Ma'oloa is a common name for these plants.
Thyrocopa is a genus of moths in the family Xyloryctidae endemic to Hawaii. The taxon has approximately forty species, including some flightless species.
Streblus pendulinus, commonly known as Hawai'i roughbush or aʻiaʻi, is a species of flowering plant in the mulberry family, Moraceae, that is native to eastern Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. It is usually a small tree or shrub, reaching a height of 12 metres with a trunk diameter of 0.6 m (2 ft). In Hawaii, it inhabits dry, coastal mesic, mixed mesic and wet forests from sea level to an altitude of 1,675 m (5,495 ft).
Nestegis sandwicensis, commonly known as Hawai'i olive or olopua, is a species of flowering tree in the olive family, Oleaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is found on all major islands at elevations of 30–1,300 m (98–4,265 ft) in coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests, and, especially, dry forests. It usually reaches a height of 6 m (20 ft) with a trunk diameter of 0.2 m (0.66 ft), but may reach 20 m (66 ft) in height with a trunk diameter of 0.9 m (3.0 ft).
Smilax aspera, with common names common smilax, rough bindweed, sarsaparille, and Mediterranean smilax, is a species of flowering vine in the greenbriar family.
Cyperus laevigatus is a species of sedge known by the common name smooth flatsedge.
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, where it is a common and conspicuous part of the forest vegetation. It is also common across much of Mexico.
Rumex skottsbergii, or more commonly known as lava dock, is a shrub of the genus Rumex. The genus comprises approximately 200 species all derived from a single species and are therefore monophyletic. Furthermore, Rumex skottsbergii is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known as pawale. Pawale are commonly found in open lava fields that are at low elevations which range from 460-1300m. A similar plant in this genus is Rumex giganteus. Their similarity lies between their erect nature and leaves. However, the difference lies in their inflorescences. The inflorescences is described as being a cluster of flowers from the main stem axis.
Silene hawaiiensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Hawai'i catchfly, Hawaiian catchfly and Sherff's catchfly. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Hawaii. It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat and it is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
Spermolepis hawaiiensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Hawai'i scaleseed. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known from the islands of Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii. It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat and it is a federally listed endangered species.
Smilax china is a climbing plant species in the genus Smilax. It is native to China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Assam. Common names for the plant include China root.
Uncinia uncinata, the Hawai'i birdcatching sedge, hook grass, hook sedge, bastard grass, kamu or matau-a-maui, is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae.
Juncus planifolius is a species of rush, commonly known as broadleaf rush, broad-leaved rush, or grass-leaved rush. It naturally occurs in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and South America.
Smilax biltmoreana, common name Biltmore's carrionflower, is a North American plant species native to the southeastern United States. It is concentrated in the Great Smoky Mountains but with outlying populations in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, and northern Florida.
Smilax lasioneura, the Blue Ridge carrionflower, is a North American species of flowering plants in the greenbriar family. It is widespread across central Canada and the central United States, from Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan south to Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
Warren Lambert Wagner is an American botanist, a curator of botany, and a leading expert on Onagraceae and plants of the Pacific Islands, especially plants of the Hawaiian Islands.
Viola maviensis, commonly known as the Hawai'i bog violet, a species of woody-stemmed violet endemic to Hawaii, United States.
