Vines. Climbing by two tendrils that arise from petiole. Rarely erect herbs. Often with thick, tuberlike rhizomes. Prickels often present on stems and leaves
Distribution
Throughout the subtropics and tropics with a few temperate species
Floral characters
Regular, usually unisexual (Rhipogonum is bisexual), dioecious. Inflorescence usually umbellate, terminal or axillary.6 tepals, 6 stamens. Pistillate flowers with 3-6 staminoides. Ovary is superior. 1-2 ovules per locule.
Leaf characters
Alternate arrangement, simple, entire, sometimes spinose-serrated. Veins converge at the base of blade, interconnected by veins of higher-order veins, which is quite unusual for a monocot
Stipules
absent
Fruit characters
Berry containing 1-3 globose seeds with small embryo and hard endosperm
Glands
absent
Hairs
present on stem and tepals or absent
Latex
absent
Uses
Smilax spp. source of commercial sarsapilla used for treating rheumatism
