Smilacaceae FAMILY

Smilax auriculata

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Smilax auriculata is an evergreen climbing shrub producing a cluster of prickly stems from rhizomes or dense masses of potatolike tubers. The stems can be 5 - 9 metres long, attaching themselves to other plants for support by means of their prickles and zig-zag branching habit[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouth-eastern N. America - North Carolina to southen Florida and west to Louisiana; Bahamas

HabitatDunes and sandy flatwoods, usually in full sun; at elevations from sea level to 100 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. Woods, thickets, fence rows and streambanks[ 72 Title Manual of the Southeastern Flora. Publication Author Small J.K. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher University of N. Carolina Press. Year 1933 ISBN Description Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].