smilax

<botany> A genus of perennial climbing plants, usually with a prickly woody stem; green brier, or cat brier. The rootstocks of certain species are the source of the medicine called sarsaparilla.

A delicate trailing plant (Myrsiphyllum asparagoides) much used for decoration. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope.

Origin: L, bindweed, Gr.

Source: Websters Dictionary

(01 Mar 1998)


Terms mentioned in text: botany, genus, perennial, plants, prickly, woody, stem, green, cat, rootstocks, species, medicine, sarsaparilla, delicate, trailing, plant, native, hope
Previous terms: smelting, s-mephenytoin n-demethylase, smerlin, smew, smicket, smilacin
Next terms: smile, smiling, smilodon, sminthurid, smite, smith-boyce operation