Smilax spinosa Mill.

Stems aculeate or rarely un-armed, the upper 4-to 6-angled, often flexuous; petioles rarely over 1 cm. long; lower leaf blades ovate to broadly elliptic, up to 14 cm. long and 8 cm. wide, subcordate at base, the upper much smaller, acute at base, all 5-nerved, the veins prominently reticulate and elevated on both surfaces, often aculeate beneath; peduncles of staminate umbels solitary, up to 1 cm. long, shorter than the sub-tending petiole, flattened; pedicels slender, 5-13 mm. long, longer than the peduncle; perianth segments ovate-oblong or oblong, 2.8 mm. long or less, 1-1.4 mm. wide; filaments shorter or longer than the anthers; peduncles of pistillate umbels up to 9 mm. long, shorter than the subtending petiole, flattened; staminodia 3 or 6, minute; berries black, globose, 4-12 mm. thick.

It is a tropical plant. In Central America it grows from sea level to 1,600 m altitude.

The shoots of the stem near the ground are eaten.