Smilacaceae FAMILY

Smilax aspera

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Smilax aspera is an evergreen climbing plant producing stems about 3 metres long that attach themselves to other plants for support by means of tendrils. The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and dyestuff. The plant is often grown to form an impenetrable barrier.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeS. Europe through Asia into China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar.

HabitatBushy places, river banks and ravines[ 45 Title Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Publication Author Polunin. O. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1980 ISBN 0-19-217626-9 Description A good pocket flora, it also lists quite a few plant uses. , 158 Title Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Publication Author Gupta. B. L. Publisher Forest Research Institute Press Year 1945 ISBN - Description A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader. ], usually close to the sea[ 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. ]. Forests at elevations of 1000 - 2000 metres in S. Xizang and SW Yunnan, China[ 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. ].