Smilax menispermoidea

Family: Smilacaceae

What it is like

A thorny climber. It has slender wiry stems. The stems are blackish towards the base. They are smooth and the twigs are angular. The leaves have stalks. The leaf stalk is 5-12 mm long and has wings. The leaves are 2-4 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide. They can be larger. They are broadly oval and taper to the tip. The base is rounded and ends bluntly. The flowers are deep brown. The occur in hanging heads in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a berry. They are round but flattened and black. They are 7-10 mm across. The seeds are pale brown.

There are about 300 Smilax species.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. In Nepal plants grown between 1600-3400 m altitude. They grow in openings in oak forests. In China it grows in shady places between 2600-3700 m altitude in southern regions. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet

How it is used for food

The tender shoots and leaves are boiled and picled. Ripe fruit are eaten fresh.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Fang ji ye ba qia, Hade kukurdaino

Synonyms

Smilax elegans Wall. ex Hook.f. not Wall. ex Kunth. Not DC.; Smilax luteocaulis H. Leveille; Smilax rubriflora Rehder;