Smilacaceae

The Smilacaceae is a family of plants that includes about 300 species of woody or herbaceous vines, commonly known as catbriers and greenbriers. These plants are native to tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Many species have stems covered in prickles, with scalelike lower leaves and leathery upper leaves that have untoothed blades with three to nine prominent veins. The flowers, which are white or yellow-green, are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The fruit is typically a red or bluish-black berry. In some classifications, Smilacaceae is included within the family Liliaceae. The young shoots of S. aspera are edible, and some species like S. herbacea (carrion flower) and S. rotundifolia (common catbrier) are sometimes cultivated for their dense, impenetrable thickets.12