lance-leaf greenbrier
Smilax smallii
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Form & Habitat
lanceleaf greenbrier form & habitat lanceleaf greenbrier form & habitat
Leaves
lanceleaf greenbrier leaf lanceleaf greenbrier leaf lanceleaf greenbrier leaf lanceleaf greenbrier leaf lanceleaf greenbrier leaf
Twigs
lanceleaf greenbrier twig lanceleaf greenbrier twig lanceleaf greenbrier twig lanceleaf greenbrier twig
Bark
lanceleaf greenbrier twig lanceleaf greenbrier twig
Flowers
Fruit
  • FAMILY: SMILACACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:
  • LEAVES: evergreen, lance-shaped, 2 to 5 inches long, 3/4 to 2 inches wide; deep green shiny upper surface, often variegated, green lower surface; 5 veins, rarely 7; young leaves may have minute blunt teeth along margins
  • FLOWER: April to July; jasmine-like odor
  • FRUIT: matures in second year, 1/4 inch, blackish-red berry, 2 seeds
  • TWIGS:
  • BARK:
  • FORM: dark-greenish or reddish brown, splotched with gray; few internode spines, never on fruiting canes, spines at nodes
  • HABITAT: moist sites
  • RANGE: southeast US
  • USES: applies to the genus: important deer, cattle, and rabbit browse; stems are 5-10% of deer diet; wood ducks, turkey, song birds eat berries
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. lance-shaped leaf, variegated
    2. both leaf surfaces green

    NOTE: this is a difficult genus, with at least 8 species in Louisiana, and 15 to 20 in the southeast, 21 to 24 in the US

    OF INTEREST: lanceleaf and laurel greenbriar have large rhizomes that are high in starch and were used for food by Native Americans
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