Smilax anceps Willd.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tiger Kloof, Mutare

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Synonyms:	Smilax kraussiana Meisn.
Common names:	Smilax (English) Wild sarsaparilla (English)
Frequency:	locally common
Status:	Native
Description:	A vigorous scrambling vine. Stems up to 5 m long, tough, fibrous, armed with numerous hooked prickles and paired coiled tendrils at the base ot the leaf petioles. Leaves alternate, ovate, elliptic to almost circular, 4-14 cm long, more or less thickly leathery, 2-3 pairs of veins along each side of the midrib and net-veining between these veins; margin entire; petiole 0.5-2.5 cm long, thivkened, channeled above. Inflorescences many-flowered axillary globose umbels; peduncle up to 3 cm long with 2 ovate bracts near the middle, up to 5 mm long. Flowers unisexual in the same inflorescence; perianth segments 3-5 mm long, recurved, greenish-white, yellowish or brownish. Fruit a globose berry, 8-10 mm in diameter, purplish to black when ripe.
Notes:	Together with brambles (Rubus spp.) it often renders areas near-impenetrable and unpopular with hikers.
Derivation of specific name:	anceps: 2-edged or 2-headed
Habitat:	It is a typical constituent of the transitional ecotone between forest and grassland, where it can cover other vegetation.
Altitude range:	Up to 2400 m
Flowering time:	Aug - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, Swaziland, South Africa, Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,MS,GI,M
Growth form:	CL
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 12 July 2009
Literature:	Diniz, M.A. (2009). Smilacaceae FZ 12(2) Pages 198 - 200. (Includes a picture). Obermeyer, A.A. (1992). Smilacaceae FSA 5(3) Page 85. (Includes a picture). Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 572 - 573. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Smilax anceps:

African Plant Database: Smilax anceps
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Smilax anceps
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Smilax anceps
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Smilax anceps
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Smilax anceps
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Smilax anceps
JSTOR Plant Science: Smilax anceps
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Smilax anceps
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Smilax anceps
Tropicos: Smilax anceps
West African Plants database: Smilax anceps