Smilax rotundifolia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Liliales |
Family: | Smilacaceae |
Genus: | Smilax |
Species: | S. rotundifolia |
Binomial name | |
Smilax rotundifolia | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Smilax rotundifolia, also known as roundleaf greenbrier [2] or common greenbrier, is a woody vine native to the southeastern and eastern United States and eastern Canada. [1] [3] [4] It is a common and conspicuous part of the natural forest ecosystems in much of its native range. The leaves are glossy green, petioled, alternate, and circular to heart-shaped. They are generally 5–13 cm long. Common greenbrier climbs other plants using green tendrils growing out of the petioles. [5]
The stems are rounded and green and are armed with sharp thorns. The flowers are greenish white, and are produced from April to August. The fruit is a bluish black berry that ripens in September. [5]
The young shoots of common greenbrier are reported to be excellent when cooked like asparagus. [6] The young leaves and tendrils can be prepared like spinach or added directly to salads. [6] Being familiar with eating Smilax is common in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where Smilax is often called 'chaineybriar.' The roots have a natural gelling agent in them that can be extracted and used as a thickening agent. [6]
Like its common names suggest, Smilax rotundifolia is a green vine with thorns. It is a crawling vine that can tangle itself within other plants and climb with small tendrils. [7]
The plant can grow up to 20 feet long by climbing objects and vegetation. If there is nothing for it to climb upon it will grow along the ground. It has woody stems that are pale green in color and are glabrous, the youngest of which are often square-shaped. As the vine dies, the stem turns from green to a dark brown color. Along the stem there are often black-tipped thorns that are about 1/3-inch-long. Some stems of Common green brier do not have thorns.
The upper surfaces of the leaves are darker than the undersides. The rounded alternate leaves are about 2 to 5 inches long. [8] The leaves are glabrous and never glaucous. [9] There are 3 to 5 primary veins per leaf. Along the lower surfaces of the primary veins it is possible to find small prickles but they are not always present. The petioles are a quarter to half an inch long, light green in color and glabrous. Small sheaths with terminal tendrils are present at the base of each petiole. [9]
Common greenbrier has greenish white flowers that form in umbels of 3–20 flowers. The peduncles upon which the umbels of flowers are borne originate from the axils of the leaves. Male and female flowers are produced on different plant, as this genus is dioecious. Both male and female flowers are about the same size at a quarter inch long. The flowers bloom for about two weeks in late spring and early summer. After this blooming period the female flowers are replaced by a berry containing up to three seeds. [8]
Smilax rotundifolia grows from rhizomes so it can resist fire by resprouting. Fires that open the canopies of dense forests encourage the growth of Smilax rotundifolia.
In New Hampshire it was found that Smilax rotundifolia responds to fire with rapid vigorous vegetative growth in the spring and fall. This was found in a prescribed burn in a white pine forest with low intensity flames (20 inches (50 cm) flame heights). After two years the amount of Smilax rotundifolia was back to the original density. Using different frequencies and intensities of fire no difference was found. [10]
Smilax rotundifolia is found in the eastern half of the continental United States including Texas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma with the exception of Vermont. It ranges from Florida north into Northern Ontario. [11] Smilax rotundifolia is native to the USA.
Common greenbrier grows along roadsides, landscapes, clearings and woods. In clearings it often forms dense and impassable thickets. It can be found in almost all habitat types including wetlands.
The berries and leaves often persist into late winter. Smilax rotundifolia is a very important food plant in the winter while there are more limited food choices. Examples of wildlife that will eat the berries and leaves in the late winter and early spring are Northern Cardinals, white throated sparrows, white tailed deer, and rabbits. [10]
For most of states S. rotundifolia is categorized as Least Concern due to its relative abundance. [12]
Young shoots and uncurled leaves and tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked. [8]
In the genus Smilax there are many different uses of the plant for medical treatments around the world. The Cherokee used Smilax rotundifolia to treat pain in the leg. Smilax rotundifolia vines and roots boiled together with tea was used to treat an upset stomach. When drinking this tea mixture a prayer was spoken. [13]
The catbrier family, Smilacaceae, contains the genus Smilax. Smilax contains some 300 species including S. rotundifolia, the common green brier. Other species in the genus include Smilax glauca , the cat greenbrier, Smilax china , china root, and Smilax aspera, rough bindweed.
The genus Smilax was originally described by Linnaeus. Smilax rotundifolia was also described by Linnaeus. [14]
A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent stems, lianas, or runners. The word vine can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.
Smilacaceae, the greenbriers, is a family of flowering plants. While they were often assigned to a more broadly defined family Liliaceae, most recent botanists have accepted the two as distinct families, diverging around 55 million years ago during the Early Paleogene. One characteristic that distinguishes Smilacaceae from most of the other members of the Liliaceae-like Liliales is that it has true vessels in its conducting tissue. Another is that the veins of the leaves, between major veins, are reticulate (net-shaped), rather than parallel as in most monocots.
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.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia, known as Virginia creeper, Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger, is a species of flowering vine in the grape family, Vitaceae. It is native to eastern and central North America, from southeastern Canada and the eastern United States west to Manitoba and Utah, and south to eastern Mexico and Guatemala.
Passiflora lutea, commonly known as yellow passionflower, is a flowering perennial vine in the family Passifloraceae, native to the central and eastern United States. The vine has three-lobed leaves and small, yellowish-green, fringed flowers that appear in the summer, followed by green fruit that turn almost black at maturity. It grows in moist to wet habitats.
Sicyos angulatus, the oneseed bur cucumber or star-cucumber is an annual vine in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, native to eastern North America. The plant forms mats or climbs using tendrils. The leaves are palmately veined and lobed, the flowers are green to yellowish green, and the fruits form clusters of very small pepos.
Smilax herbacea, the smooth carrionflower or smooth herbaceous greenbrier, is a plant in the catbriar family. It is native to eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Its preferred natural habitat is rich forests, and riparian thicket and meadows.
Smilax aspera, with common names common smilax, rough bindweed, sarsaparille, and Mediterranean smilax, is a species of flowering vine in the greenbriar family.
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 as well as Mexico, where it is a common and conspicuous part of the forest vegetation.
Cissus hypoglauca is a common Australian vine. It is one of the better known climbing plants of the genus Cissus in the grape family. A very common climber in moist areas of eastern Australia, it often colonises large areas after forest damage due to storms, fire or logging. Common names include jungle grape, water vine, giant water vine, five-leaf water vine, jungle vine, native grapes and billangai.
Vitis arizonica is a North American species of wild grape. It is a deciduous vine.
Smilax jamesii is a species of flowering plant in the greenbriar family known by the common name English Peak greenbriar. It is to northern California, where it is known from the Klamath Mountains and the southernmost peaks of the Cascade Range. It has also been reported from nearby locations in southwestern Oregon. It grows in moist areas such as lakesides and streambanks in mountain coniferous forest habitat. It was discovered to be a new species when herbarium specimens thought to be Smilax californica were reexamined.
Smilax laurifolia is a species of flowering plant in the greenbrier family known by the common names laurel greenbrier, laurelleaf greenbrier, bamboo vine, and blaspheme vine. It is native to the southeastern United States, where it occurs along the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plains from Texas to New Jersey, the range extending inland to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. It also occurs in Cuba and the Bahamas.
Smilax bona-nox, the saw greenbrier, is a species of plant in the family Smilacaceae. It is native to the Southern United States, and eastern Mexico.
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.
Smilax anceps is a vigorous scrambling vine or shrub, and is one of some 278 species in the genus Smilax in the family Smilacaceae. The species is widespread in Tropical Africa, Southern Africa, Réunion, Mauritius, Comoros, and Madagascar. The specific name 'anceps' is Latin for 'dangerous', a caution against the hooked prickles. Tarundia cinctipennis Stål, 1862, a hemipteran insect, is associated with this plant.
Smilax auriculata is a North American plant species native to the Bahamas, the Turks & Caicos Islands, and the southeastern United States. Common names include earleaf greenbrier and wild-bamboo, despite the fact that it is not closely related to bamboo. It is reported from Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It grows on coastal sand dunes and in sun-lit locations in sandy woodlands at elevations of less than 100 m.
Smilax pseudochina is a perennial species of herb in the greenbriar family. It is commonly called bamboo vine or false chinaroot. Its range extends up the Atlantic Coast of the United States, from Long Island in New York State south to Georgia.
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 and New York State south to Texas and Florida.
Ampelopsis glandulosa, with common names creeper, porcelain berry, Amur peppervine, and wild grape, is an ornamental plant, native to temperate areas of Asia including China, Japan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It is generally similar to, and potentially confused with, grape species and other Ampelopsis species.