Smilax ovalifolia Roxb. ex D. Don

All the material we have of this species is cultivated. Hasanain & Rahman report it from Karachi and Sind (Pl.Kar. & Sind, 76.1957) but give no number or locality. Sabnis, in his Flora of Sind (Ind. J. Bot.4, 4:137.1924) makes no mention of the species and this species is probably not found here in the wild state.

Vines climbing, large. Stem branched, to 10 m, woody; branches smooth or sparsely prickly. Petiole 1.6--3 cm, narrowly winged for 1/2--2/3 its length; abscission zone subapical; tendrils well developed. Leaf blade ovate to suborbicular, 12--23(--26) × 8--14(--20) cm, main veins 7. Inflorescence of (1 or)2 or 3 umbels, 1.5--4 cm, basally prophyllate; peduncle 1.3--3 cm, proximally articulate when inflorescence of 1 umbel; umbels of both sexes 12--40-flowered, base thickened. Male flowers: outer tepals 5--6 × ca. 1.5 mm, inner ones much narrower. Female flowers: tepals slightly smaller than male ones; staminodes 3. Berries dark red, ellipsoid-globose, 0.9--1.2 cm in diam. 2 n = 64, 96, 128.

Armed or unarmed climber. Leaves coriaceous, lustrous, 7-15(-20) x 4-11(-15)cm, broadly ovate to elliptic, cuspidate, base rounded or shortly cuneate; 3-5-nerved. Petiole c. 15 mm long, base sheathing, with tendrils at the end. Flowers white, in dense umbels; umbels axillary, 1-3 on a common peduncle. Bracts ovate. Perianth recurved in mature flowers, outer 3 segments, 4 mm long, oblong, inner narrower. Stamens about as long as the perianth. Female flower: staminodes 3.

Himalaya, India, N. Burma, N. Indo-China.

Hainan [India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam].

Distribution: Throughout India, Burma, Malaya and Sri Lanka.

200-1000 m

Fl.Per.: Feb.-April.

Forests; near sea level to 1500 m.

Smilax macrophylla Roxburgh.