keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

1122 SMILACACEAE/SMILAX
obscure marginal veins immediately adjacent to and almost indistinguishable from the � cartilaginous
leaf margin), the bases rounded to cuneate, green or somewhat glaucous on the lower
surface, without any prickles or roughening; peduncles 5–15 mm long, shorter than to a little
longer than the petioles; fruits black when ripe (green to rose-purple when immature—see
photo on page 299), sometimes glaucous, ovoid to subglobose, 5–8 mm long. Usually swamp or
bog margins, stream banks, and seeps; Pineywoods and n Post Oak Savannah; also n margin of
Gulf Prairies and Marshes; se U.S. from DE s to FL w to OK and TX. Flowering late summer and
autumn, fruits ripening the next season. The leaves are sometimes confused with those of S.
smallii (also evergreen); however, in S. laurifolia the heavily coriaceous leaf blades with 3 main
veins are usually mucronate at the apex, and there also is often an evenly submarginal vein �
at each edge of the leaf (more conspicuous upon drying), while in S. smallii the thinly coriaceous
leaf blades with usually 5 main veins have an apex that is acute to shortly acuminate and
there are no evenly submarginal veins (Duncan 1967). (Note: upon drying, the relatively thin
leaf margins of S. smallii can be rolled marginally and have the appearance of thickened marginal
veins or ribs). The large, semi-woody, tuberous rhizomes were reported to be used as food
by Native Americans and early settlers (Vines 1960). m/299
Smilax pumila Walter, (dwarf, very small), DWARF GREENBRIER, SARSAPARILLA-VINE, HAIRY
GREENBRIER, PROSTRATE GREENBRIER, BRIERVINE, GROUNDBRIER, WILD SARSAPARILLA, Trailing,
suberect, or low climbing (� 1 m tall), the plant dwarf compared to other perennial Smilax species;
small, knotty, woody rhizome and one–several slender rhizomes present; stems hairy, without
prickles; leaves � evergreen; leaf blades ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5–10 cm long, to 8 cm
wide, the bases cordate, the lower (= abaxial) surface densely hairy (hairs curled, ca. 0.5–0.9 mm
long); peduncles varying from shorter than to 1(–1.5) times as long as petiole of subtending leaf;
fruits red, ovoid, 5–8(–10) mm long, apically pointed. Sandy soils, along streams, wooded areas; s
part of the Pineywoods; also n Gulf Prairies and Marshes; se U.S. from SC s to FL w to AR and
TX. Late summer and fall, fruits ripening the next season and often persisting. According to
Holmes (2002c), S. humilis Mill. is an older name for this species. It has been proposed for rejection
(Reveal 2000). However, if that proposal is not accepted, the name for this species will have
to be changed to be S. humilis. The dried leaves are reportedly used in LA in making a tea for
upset stomach (Holmes 2002c).
Smilax rotundifolia L., (round-leaved), COMMON GREENBRIER, BULLBRIER, HORSEBRIER, BISCUIT-
LEAVES, WAIT-A-BIT, BAMBOOBRIER, DEVIL’S-HOPVINE, BREAD-AND-BUTTER, HUNGRYVINE, CATBRIER,
HORSEBRIER, SOWBRIER. Plant high-climbing and forming thickets; long, slender, usually nonprickly
rhizomes present but tuberous rhizomes absent; stems terete or 4-angled, with straight
flat prickles to 12 mm long (lacking bristle-like prickles); leaves � deciduous; tendrils numerous;
leaf blades to 17 cm long, firm-membranous, ovate to nearly rounded, rounded to cordate at base,
the margins not thickened (however, the thin margin can sometimes be rolled) but usually
roughened with minute cusps; peduncles usually to ca. 15 mm long, usually slightly shorter than
to slightly longer than the petiole of the subtending leaf (rarely longer); fruits bluish black to
black, globose, 5–8 mm in diam. Thickets and woods, moist to dry areas; mainly Pineywoods and
Post Oak Savannah, with one locality from Dallas Co. (Turner et al. 2003) further w; also Cross
Timbers and Prairies (Bosque Co.—Carr 1989 and Fort Hood—Bell or Coryell cos.—Sanchez
1997); se Canada and throughout e U.S. w to KS and TX. Mar–Jun. The leaves of this species are
similar to those of S. bona-nox, but the two can be distinguished by the thickened leaf margins
(with a thickened cartilaginous band, as if with a raised vein forming the edge—use magnification)
of S. bona-nox (Duncan 1967). It can also be confused with S. tamnoides but lacks the
bristle-like, usually dark prickles of that species. The small green flowers produce minute
amounts of nectar, and the male flowers have pollen grains linked to each other by viscin
threads—preventing wind pollination; insect pollination is therefore expected (Kevan et al. 1991).