FAMILY: SMILACACEAE

ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:

LEAVES: evergreen, thick and leathery, 3 prominent veins; 2-6 inches long, pointed on both ends; upright angle to stem; petiole 1/8 to 1/4 inch

FLOWER: July to August

FRUIT: shiny black berries, clusters of 5 to 25; peduncle shorter or equal to petiole; matures in second season

TWIGS: vine

BARK:

FORM: high climbing, stout vine; abundant, flattened, internodal spines at base of cane; spines absent at nodes; cane is finely grooved

HABITAT: wet forest sites

WETLAND DESIGNATION: facultative wetland (FACW+); usually (67-99%) found in wetlands

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

Brief Recognition Features:

COMMENTS: This is a difficult genus, with at least 8 species in Louisiana, and 15 to 20 in the southeast; 21-24 species in the US.