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Smilax anceps
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Tiger Kloof, Mutare
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Smilax kraussiana Meisn. |
| Common names: | Garuru (Shona) Gwananguruve (Shona) Smilax (English) Wild sarsaparilla (English) |
| Frequency: | Common in the Eastern Highlands, rare elsewhere |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
A vigorous scrambling vine. Stems up to 5 m long, tough, fibrous, armed with numerous hooked prickles and paired coiled tendrils at the base ot the leaf petioles. Leaves alternate, ovate, elliptic to almost circular, 4-14 cm long, more or less thickly leathery, 2-3 pairs of veins along each side of the midrib and net-veining between these veins; margin entire; petiole 0.5-2.5 cm long, thivkened, channeled above. Inflorescences many-flowered axillary globose umbels; peduncle up to 3 cm long with 2 ovate bracts near the middle, up to 5 mm long. Flowers unisexual in the same inflorescence; perianth segments 3-5 mm long, recurved, greenish-white, yellowish or brownish. Fruit a globose berry, 8-10 mm in diameter, purplish to black when ripe. |
| Notes: | Together with brambles (Rubus spp.) it often renders areas near-impenetrable and unpopular with hikers. The records in SRGH from outside Division E comprise a single vaguely localised record in Divsion N and three records from Division S, namely Old Bikita, Mt Buhwe and the Beza Range. |
| Derivation of specific name: | anceps: 2-edged or 2-headed |
| Habitat: | It is a typical constituent of the transitional ecotone between forest and grassland, where it can cover other vegetation. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 2400 m |
| Flowering time: | Aug - Jan |
| Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa, Swaziland, South Africa, Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,E,S |
| Growth form: | CL |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects (whose larvae eat this species): | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Friday 10 March 2006 |
| Literature: |
Diniz, M.A. (2009). Smilacaceae FZ 12(2) Pages 198 - 200. (Includes a picture). Obermeyer, A.A. (1992). Smilacaceae FSA 5(3) Page 85. (Includes a picture). Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 572 - 573. (Includes a picture). |
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comments powered by DisqusOther sources of information about Smilax anceps:
Flora of Mozambique: Smilax ancepsAfrican Plant Database: Smilax anceps
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Smilax anceps
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Smilax anceps
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Smilax anceps
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Smilax anceps
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Smilax anceps
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Smilax anceps
JSTOR Plant Science: Smilax anceps
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Smilax anceps
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Smilax anceps
Tropicos: Smilax anceps
West African Plants database: Smilax anceps
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