Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

RUSCACEAE 936
Scheuchzeria palustris Linnaeus var. americana Fernald, Pod-grass. Sphagnum bogs. South to sc. PA (Rhoads & Klein
1993), NJ, and Pocahontas County, WV. [= F; < Sch. palustris – C, FNA, G; = Sch. palustris ssp. americana (Fernald) Hultén –
K; = Sch. americana (Fernald) G.N. Jones]
SMILACACEAE Ventenat 1799 (Greenbrier Family)
A family of 3-12 genera and about 375 species, widespread in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. References: Holmes
in FNA (2002a); Judd (1998); Conran in Kubitzki (1998a).
Smilax Linnaeus 1753 (Greenbrier, Carrionflower, Smilax)
A genus of about 300 species, woody vines and herbs, subcosmopolitan in temperate and tropical regions. Our deciduous species
are a monophyletic group within Smilax, with a classic eastern North American - east Asian disjunction, and are treated as section
Nemexia or subgenus Luiste (Wilbur 2004, Fu et al. 2005). Smilax berries and shoots provide important food sources for many
wildlife species, including black bears (Ursus americanus). References: Mangaly (1968)=Z; Judd (1998)=Y; Holmes in FNA
(2002a); Wilbur (2004); Fu et al. (2005); Duncan (1967); Godfrey (1988). Key for the woody species based in part on Godfrey
(1988).
1 Stem herbaceous, lacking prickles; ovules 2 per carpel; peduncles usually > 4 cm long; [section Nemexia].
2 Plants erect, 0.2-1.0 m tall, even when well-developed with < 20 leaves [note that immature or depauperate individuals
(nonflowering) of S. pseudochina, S. herbacea, S. lasioneura, and S. pulverulenta often have this aspect]; tendrils
absent or rudimentary; peduncles usually few (usually 1-4), the lowest often from bract axils.
3 Leaves glabrous and glaucous beneath, thick in texture, base cordate, tip acute or acuminate; lowest peduncle from
a leaf axil (very rarely from bract axils), upper peduncles from leaf axils; leaves 5-7, clustered together near the
summit of the stem ............................................................................................................................. S. biltmoreana
3 Leaves pubescent and green (or glaucous) beneath, usually thin in texture, base cordate, truncate, or rounded, tip
acuminate, acute, or obtuse; lowest peduncles from axils of bracts below the lowest leaves, upper peduncles also
often from bracts (the uppermost often from leaf axils); leaves either clustered together near the summit of the
stem or well distributed.
4 Leaves relatively many, (7-) 10-13 (-20), often well distributed in the upper half of the stem, notably reduced
in size from lower to upper, mostly with the base cordate and the tip acuminate; berry 3-5 seeded ...................
........................................................................................................................................................... S. ecirrata
4 Leaves few, usually 4-8, usually clustered together near the summit of the stem (rarely well distributed),
about the same size, mostly with the base ovate (to subcordate), the tip acute to obtuse; berry 2-3 seeded........
............................................................................................................................................................. S. hugeri
2 Plants vine-like, climbing or sprawling, to 3 m tall, when well-developed with > 30 leaves; tendrils present and
numerous; peduncles usually many, from leaf axils.
5 Leaf bases hastate, the leaf margins straight or concave in outline; longest fruiting pedicels < 2× as long as the
fruit; anthers equaling or longer than the filaments; perianth 1.5-2.5 mm long; leaves glabrous and glaucous
beneath................................................................................................................................................S. pseudochina
5 Leaf bases cordate, the leaf margins convex in outline; longest fruiting pedicels 2× or more as long as the fruit;
anthers shorter than the filaments; perianth 3.5-6 mm long; leaves either puberulent beneath (at least along the
veins), or glabrous and glaucous beneath.
6 Leaves glabrous and glaucous on the lower surface; fruit dark blue and glaucous; peduncles 5-8× as long as
the subtending petioles..................................................................................................................... S. herbacea
6 Leaves puberulent on the lower surface, at least on the veins; fruit dark blue and glaucous or black and not
glaucous; peduncles 1-10× as long as the subtending petioles.
7 Leaves bright green and shiny beneath; fruit black, not glaucous; peduncles 1-2 (-3)× as long as the
subtending petioles..............................................................................................................S. pulverulenta
7 Leaves pale green and dull below; fruit dark blue, glaucous; peduncles (3-) 5-10× as long as the
subtending petioles.................................................................................................................S. lasioneura
1 Stem woody, usually with prickles; ovules 1 per carpel; peduncles usually < 3 cm long; [section China].
8 Stems and petioles tomentose, lacking prickles; leaves densely tomentose beneath; berries red; plant trailing or
ascending, rarely > 0.5 m tall (with determinate growth).....................................................................................S. pumila
8 Stems and petioles stellate-scurfy or glabrous, generally with prickles; leaves glabrous or papillate beneath; berries red,
black, or dark blue; plant climbing, ascending, or trailing, mature plants generally well over 0.5 m tall (with
indeterminate growth).
9 Lower surfaces of leaves strongly glaucous................................................................................................. S. glauca
9 Lower surfaces of leaves green (rarely very slightly glaucous).
10 Prickles of the stem abundant, thin and needle-like, shiny brown or black......................................... S. hispida
10 Prickles of the stem fewer, broad-based and awl-like or catclaw-like, green, brown, or black.