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Smilax spinosa

Botanic Family

Smilacaceae

Author

Miller

Common Names

• Cuculmeca or Raíz de Chino or Zarza or Zarzaparrilla (Costa Rica)

Geographical Habitats

• Belize
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• French Guiana
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Peru
• Suriname
• Trinidad
• Venezuela

Natural Habitats

• Riverbank
• forests
• coastal
• inundated forest
• disturbed vegetation

Flowering Times

• Feb-Jun (Nic) Jul (Panama) Jan-May & Jul-Dec (Costa Rica)

Fruiting Times

• Jul All year (Nicaragua
• Costa Rica)

Large armed or unarmed herbaceous glabrous tendril vine. Leaves to 100mm x 60mm with a tendril. Axillary umbels of 2.5mm long green flowers. 15mm diameter red fruits turning black.

Further References

• Mobot
• NYBG
• Neotrop
• The Plant List 2
• RSNRV
• FOPE
• Kew
• PCCA