Smilacaceae FAMILY

Smilax china

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Smilax china is a deciduous climbing shrub producing a cluster of branched, sparsely prickly stems from 1 - 5 metres long[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The stems scramble through the surrounding vegetation, supporting themselves by means of their prickles and tendrils. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of a dye.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - eastern and southern China, Japan, Korea, northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines.

HabitatShrub thickets[ 147 Title A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Publication Author ? Publisher Running Press; Philadelphica. Year 1977 ISBN 0-914294-92-X Description A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods. ] in hills and mountains[ 58 Title Flora of Japan. (English translation) Publication Author Ohwi. G. Publisher Smithsonian Institution Year 1965 ISBN - Description The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader. ]. Forests, thickets, hillsides, grassy slopes, shaded places along valleys or streams; at elevations from near sea level to 2,000 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].