Stems all terete, smooth, the lower sparingly aculeate, the upper unarmed; petioles up to 1.6 cm. long; leaf blades ovate-lanceolate or ovate, usually not over 9 cm. long and 5 cm. wide, dark green and shining above, unarmed, 5-nerved, the outer nerves marginal, the veins elevated on both surfaces, reticulate; pedun-cles of staminate umbels solitary or in short, bracteate, axillary branchlets, 1-5 mm. long, much shorter than the subtending petiole; pedicels 4-7 mm. long; perianth segments ligulate, 4.5-6.5 mm. long, 1.2-1.5 mm. wide; filaments 3-4 mm. long, the anthers shorter, 1.2-2 mm. long; peduncles of pistillate umbels subterete, up to 7 mm. long, much shorter than the subtending petiole; pedicels longer than peduncle; staminodia 3, about 1 mm. long; fruiting pedicels 4-10 mm. long; fruits dull-red or brown, globose, 5-10 mm. in diameter. Southeastern United States, West Indies, and Mexico to Panama. PANAMA: Juan Diaz, Standley 3o633. CANAL ZONE: Aspinwall, Hayes 638. 3. SMILAX SPISSA Killip & Morton in Carn. Inst. Publ. 461:273. 1936. Upper stems slender, terete, not flexuous, unarmed; petioles up to 2 cm. long; leaf blades oblong, up to 16 cm. long and 6 cm. wide, acute at base, 5-nerved, the outer nerves marginal, the veins impressed above, elevated beneath, the secondary subparallel, not conspicuously reticulate; peduncle of staminate umbel solitary, up to 4.5 cm. long, longer than the subtending petiole; pedicels obsolete; flowers numerous, crowded, the outer perianth segments 4 mm. long and 1.5 mm. broad, the inner somewhat smaller; filaments 1-1.5 mm. long, the anthers longer, 1.5-2 mm. long; fruiting peduncle solitary, 1.5-2.3 cm. long, terete, longer than the subtending petiole; berry red, large, up to 15 mm. in diameter.
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A slightly woody vine. It climbs by means of tendrils. It grows 5-10 m long. The stems are slender and strong. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are 5-12 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. They are shiny on the upper surface and dull underneath. The flowers occur in single groups in the axils of leaves. They are green and have a scent. The fruit is round and fleshy. They are 1 cm across and dark violet or almost black. There is one seed.
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