Smilax is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. 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 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 are separated as genus Nemexia; they are commonly known by the rather ambiguous name carrion flowers.
Grias cauliflora, the anchovy pear, is an evergreen fruit tree native to Jamaica, Central America, and Colombia. It is often found near rivers or marshes in large colonies. It belongs to the Lecythidaceae family.
Restrepiella ophiocephala, commonly called the Snake's head restrepiella is an epiphytic orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Florida. The epithet ophiocephala is derived from the Greek words ὄφις, ophis (snake) and κεφαλή, kephalē (head).
Hypoxis decumbens is a species of plant in the Hypoxidaceae, considered by some authors to be included within the Liliaceae or Amaryllidaceae. The species is widespread across South America, Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies.
Dioscorea mexicana, Mexican yam or cabeza de negro is a species of yam in the genus Dioscorea.
Holmskioldia is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Himalayas but widely cultivated as an ornamental and naturalized in many places It contains only one known species, Holmskioldia sanguinea, commonly called the Chinese hat plant, cup-and-saucer-plant or mandarin's hat.
Cyclanthus bipartitus a species of plant in the family Cyclanthaceae, first described as a genus in 1824. It is native to southern Mexico, Central America, Trinidad, Windward Islands, northern South America.
Smilax australis is a vine in the family Smilacaceae, endemic to Australia. It has prickly climbing stems that are up to 8 metres long with coiled tendrils that are up to 20 cm long. The glossy leaves have 5 prominent longitudinal veins and are 5 to 15 cm long and 3 to 10 cm wide.
Eleocharis parvula is a species of spikesedge known by the common names dwarf spikerush, small spikerush and hairgrass in aquaria. It is a plant of brackish and saltwater habitat, such as marshes and mudflats. It is a perennial herb growing tufts of spongy, compressible stems not more than 10 centimeters tall. The plant grows from a tuber which is J-shaped or horseshoe-shaped, a characteristic that helps in the identification of the species. The inflorescence is an oval-shaped spikelet just 2 or 3 millimeters long, made up of several tiny flowers.
Telanthophora is a genus of Mesoamerican plants in the groundsel tribe within the daisy family.
Pitcairnia atrorubens is a species of flowering plant in Bromeliaceae family. It is native to Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, and western Mexico as far north as Nayarit.
Sarsaparilla often refers to the sarsaparilla soft drink, made from Smilax plants.
Sarsaparilla is a soft drink originally made from the vine Smilax ornata or other species of Smilax such as Smilax officinalis. In most Southeast Asian countries, it is known by the common name sarsi, and the trademarks Sarsi and Sarsae. It is similar in flavor to root beer. In the US, sarsaparilla is traditionally made with birch oil rather than the tropical plant.
Smilax aristolochiifolia, also known as gray sarsaparilla, Mexican sarsaparilla, sarsaparilla, is a species in the genus Smilax and the family Smilacaceae, native to Mexico and Central America. It is widely used as traditional medicine to treat many symptoms.
Trixis inula, the tropical threefold, is a plant species native to Texas, Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and the West Indies. It is found on open, sandy sites such as roadsides, thorn scrub, thickets, etc.
Clerodendrum paniculatum, the pagoda flower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clerodendrum and family Lamiaceae. It is native to tropical Asia and Papuasia, Fiji, and French Polynesia. It is introduced in Central America.
Milla biflora, Mexican star, is a species of flowering plant native to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, where it grows at 1,000–2,700 m (3,300–8,900 ft) elevation. It is perennial, growing from a 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) corm, and flowering in summer. Inflorescences of 1–9 white flowers are borne on scapes 4–55 cm (1.6–21.7 in) long. The 2–10 leaves are each 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and half to equally as long as the scape. The fruits are ovoid capsules, 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) long.
Tintinnabularia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described for modern science as a genus in 1936. It is native to S Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
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 officinalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Smilacaceae, native to southern Central America and northwest South America; Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. A vine reaching 50 m (160 ft) as it climbs trees into the canopy, its roots are collected and used to make traditional medicines and, like other Smilax species, the soft drink sarsaparilla.
