Smilax glabra

Family: Smilacaceae

What it is like

A climbing vine. It does not have prickles. The stem is branched. It is 1-4 m long and woody. The leaf stalk is 5-15 cm long and narrowly winged. There are tendrils. The leaf blade is oval or sword shaped and 6-15 cm long by 1-7 cm wide. The flowering stalk has 10-30 or more flowers. They are greenish white. The fruit is a round, blue-black berry. It is 6-10 mm across.

There are about 300 Smilax species. The tuber like roots are used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on thinly forested slopes along valleys. In China it occurs between 300-1800 m altitude in many provinces. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The root is used as a substitute for coffee. The young shoots are fried. The fresh fruit are eaten.

It is sold in local markets in China. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, root - drink, shoots, tubers

How it is grown

In NE Thailand fruit are available March to May.

Its other names

Local names

Barichob-chini, Harina-shuk-china, Hazena, Hmab pos tauj tsiab, Kai tluang, Katcho-gyi, Phelangtang, Ruikangtang, Tu fu, Tu fu ling

Synonyms

Smilax blinii H.Leveille; Smilax calophylla Wall. var. concolor C.H.Wright; Smilax dunniana H. Leveille; Smilax glabra var. maculata Bodinier ex H. Leveille; Smilax hookeri Kunth.; Smilax mengmaensis R.H.Miao; Smilax trigona Warburg;