| Smilacaceae | |
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| Smilax aristolochiifolia[2] | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Smilacaceae Vent.[1] |
| Genera | |
Smilacaceae, the greenbriers, is a family offlowering plants. While they were often assigned to a more broadly defined familyLiliaceae, most recent botanists have accepted the two as distinct families,diverging around 55 million years ago during the EarlyPaleogene. One characteristic that distinguishes Smilacaceae from most of the other members of the Liliaceae-like Liliales is that it has true vessels in its conducting tissue. Another is that the veins of the leaves, between major veins, are reticulate (net-shaped), rather than parallel as in mostmonocots.[3]
TheAPG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from theAPG system, of 1998), recognizes this family and places it in the orderLiliales, in theclademonocots. Earlier it was a family of two genera,Heterosmilax andSmilax, but DNA studies have shown thatHeterosmilax has arisen fromSmilax and the two genera are now merged. This results in Smilax being the only genus in Smilacaceae with about 210 known species.[4][5]The family occurs throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. Members of this family typically have woody roots and a climbing or vining form. Some have woody vining stems, often with thorns, while others areherbaceous above ground and thornless.
Other placements of the family include:
Members of this family can be herbaceous to "woody" vines. They grow from their rhizomes and are often armed with prickles on the stems and/or leaves. Leaves are alternate and simple; and entire to spinose-serrate. Some members of this family have coriaceous (leathery) leaves. Venation of the leaves may be palmate to reticulate. A pair of tendrils often appear near the base of the petiole. The inflorescence type for members of this family is an umbel. The flowers are inconspicuous, radial and unisexual. The flowers are made of 6 tepals, 6 stamens and 3 carpels. The fruit type of all members of Smilacaceae is a berry. The number of seeds per berry is 1–3. Nectaries are located at the base of the tepals.
While both genera aredioecious and nearly indistinguishable vegetatively, their flowers differ markedly. The flower ofHeterosmilax is fused into a deep bottle-shaped tube containing prominent nectaries and itsstamens are connected at the bottom, whereas flowers ofSmilax are typically small with unfused floral parts.Smilax is a much larger and more widely distributed genus thanHeterosmilax.Heterosmilax has only twelvespecies which are confined toChina,Japan, tropicalAsia,Singapore,Malaysia, and the surrounding islands.
Some taxonomists separate the herbaceous plants native to North America inSmilax as the genusNemexia, which is known for its malodorous flowers.Smilax would then be left with only plants of a woody, vining form with thorns. However, theFlora of North America does not recogniseNemexia, nor does theMissouri Botanical Garden's Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.[6]
Media related toSmilacaceae at Wikimedia Commons| National | |
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| Other | |
