dcsimg

Comments

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Numerous varieties, based mainly on differences in leaf shape, have been proposed for Smilax bona-nox. Variation is so great even in individual plants that recognition of these varieties is untenable. J. A. Steyermark (1963) suggested that leaf variation may be correlated with stages of plant maturity. The species often may be considered weedy, occurring in very dense, tangled masses.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
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Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Description

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Vines; rhizomes tuberous, woody, or stoloniferous. Stems perennial, climbing, often zigzag distally, branched, terete to 4-angled, stout, to 5+ m × 5 mm, woody, glabrous or infrequently with stellate trichomes; prickles often absent distally, tips black, flattened, broad- based, stout, 4–9 mm, rigid. Leaves evergreen, ± evenly dispersed; petiole 0.7–1.5 cm; blade pale green, often with white blotches, drying to uniform tan, thickish, broadly ovate to lanceolate-ovate or hastate to pandurate, with 3(–5) ± prominent veins, 3–10 × 2.5–9 cm, not glaucous, glabrous or minutely pubescent abaxially, base cordate to truncate, frequently lobed; margins entire to remotely spinose-ciliate, thickened by ribbed, cartilaginous band, often revolute and appearing as prominent vein parallel to margins, apex rounded to short-apiculate. Umbels few to numerous, axillary to leaves, 10–15+-flowered, moderately dense; peduncle 1.5–6+ cm. Flowers: perianth pale green; tepals 3–4.5 mm; anthers shorter than to ± equaling filaments; ovule 1 per locule; pedicel 0.8–1.2 cm. Berries black, ovoid to spherical, 6–8 mm, shiny to dull, sometimes glaucous. 2n = 32.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Distribution

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Ala., Ark., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.; Mexico; West Indies.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Flowering/Fruiting

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Flowering Apr--May.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
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Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Habitat

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Well-drained to wet areas in woods, fields, thickets, hedgerows, floodplain forests, etc., full to partial sun; 0--1000m.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Synonym

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Smilax bona-nox var. exauriculata Fernald; S. bona-nox var. hastata (Willdenow) A. de Candolle; S. bona-nox var. hederifolia (Beyrich ex Kunth) Fernald; S. bona-nox var. littoralis Coker; S. hastata Willdenow; S. hederifolia Beyrich ex Kunth; S. renifolia Small; S. variegata Walter
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copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 470, 471, 472, 477 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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eFloras.org
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Common Names

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
saw greenbrier
greenbrier
catbrier
bullbrier
chinabrier
tramp's trouble
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Description

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: drupe, fruit, liana, umbel

Saw greenbrier is a native, evergreen [8] to semievergreen [16] or deciduous [7], rhizomatous liana up to 26 feet (8 m) in length [12]. The quadrate stems and branches have scattered to numerous stiff prickles [7,12]. There are two forms of rhizomes: ligneous, thickened, knotty tubers 0.8 to 2.4 inches (2-6 cm) thick in clusters up to 7.9 inches (20 cm) across [23], and more slender rhizomes which give rise to the erect stems [7,12,16,23]. The inflorescence is an umbel borne on an axillary peduncle. The fruit is a one-seeded drupe [30].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Distribution

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The range of saw greenbrier extends from Florida to Texas and eastern Mexico, north to Maryland, Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, Missouri, and southeastern Kansas [12,16,17,34].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Ecology

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: fire regime, marsh, prescribed fire

Saw greenbrier is tolerant of periodic fire because it will sprout from the rhizomes when top-killed. It is not dependent on fire for regeneration; it occurs in both fire-tolerant communities and communities which infrequently experience fire. Saw greenbrier occurs in the pine flatwoods of the lower Atlantic Coastal Plain, which were historically maintained in open condition by periodic fire, and are now managed with prescribed fires [15]. Similarly, it is often found in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) communities which were also historically maintained by fire. Longleaf pine communities have largely been replaced by other communities, mostly loblolly pine, which can also be managed with prescribed fire [43]. Saw greenbrier is a member of Florida bay swamps, which experience fire on the average of once per century [10]. Where saw greenbrier occurs on Cumberland Island, Georgia, its distribution is probably only partly affected by fire. The scrub and marsh communities on Cumberland Island historically experienced wildfires approximately every 20 to 27 years. Oak (Quercus spp.)/saw-palmetto (Serenoa repens) communities are vulnerable to fires burning into them from adjacent scrub or marsh. Greenbriers occurred on forested sites, decreased at forest/marsh and forest/scrub interfaces, and were not present in interior marsh and scrub sites. The authors concluded that the marsh/forest and scrub/forest boundaries are controlled by fluctuation in the water table and not by fire [26]. FIRE REGIMES: Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under "Find FIRE REGIMES".
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Management Considerations

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More info for the term: cover

Since herbicides alone do not control saw greenbrier, prescribed burning has been suggested to help hold it to desired densities for wildlife habitat and to improve its browse value [32]. However, in the Cross Timbers of Oklahoma, herbicides plus annual spring fires had no effect on saw greenbrier cover [37].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)

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More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: geophyte, phanerophyte

Phanerophyte Geophyte
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat characteristics

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More info for the term: swamp

Saw greenbrier occurs in a variety of habitats, including dry and wet woods, thickets, and hammocks, and disturbed sites such as clearings, roadsides, fencerows, and old fields. It tolerates a wide variety of soils, including dry to moist sands, rocky soils, rich loams, and saturated swamp soils high in organic matter [7,10,12,16,34,41].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Cover Types

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

More info for the terms: hardwood, swamp

52 White oak - black oak - northern red oak
53 White oak
57 Yellow-poplar
63 Cottonwood
62 Silver maple - American elm
70 Longleaf pine
71 Longleaf pine - scrub oak
73 Southern redcedar
75 Shortleaf pine
76 Shortleaf pine - oak
78 Virginia pine - oak
81 Loblolly pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
87 Sweetgum - yellow-poplar
88 Willow oak - water oak - diamondleaf oak
89 Live oak
92 Sweetgum - willow oak
93 Sugarberry - American elm - green ash
94 Sycamore - sweetgum - American elm
97 Atlantic white-cedar
102 Baldcypress - tupelo
103 Water tupelo - swamp tupelo
104 Sweetbay - swamp tupelo - redbay
110 Black oak
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Ecosystem

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Plant Associations

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the term: forest

K081 Oak savanna
K082 Mosaic of K074 and K100
K084 Cross Timbers
K089 Black Belt
K092 Everglades
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K104 Appalachian oak forest
K105 Mangrove
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
K114 Pocosin
K115 Sand pine scrub
K116 Subtropical pine forest
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Immediate Effect of Fire

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More info for the term: prescribed fire

Saw greenbrier is probably top-killed by most fires and subsequently sprouts from the rhizomes. Mortality due to a winter prescribed fire in Texas ranged from 11 percent to 31 percent for most understory plants, including saw greenbrier [36].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Importance to Livestock and Wildlife

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More info for the term: cover

The fruits of saw greenbrier are eaten by wood ducks, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, fish crows, black bears, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and many species of songbirds [7]. White-tailed deer browse the foliage [5,19,43]. The commonly low and straggling growth form of saw greenbrier tends to form an impenetrable mass of prickly branches, which creates good cover for small mammals and birds [34]. In Kansas, an increase in the numbers of white-footed mice was associated with an increase in woody and weedy species (including saw greenbrier); the increase in mice was attributed to increased low cover. The mice were rare on the study site prior to the loss of an American elm overstory due to Dutch elm disease [13].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Life Form

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More info for the term: vine

Vine
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Management considerations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: rhizome

Saw greenbrier productivity in the understory of a loblolly pine
plantation was highest under medium thinning intensities [5]. Closed
canopy plantations produced little browse [6].

Saw greenbrier is considered a pest species in some areas; it is
difficult to eradicate due to its persistent woody rhizome [7]. It is
resistant to most herbicides, but can be controlled with karbutilate [42].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Occurrence in North America

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
AL AR FL GA IL IN KS KY LA MD
MS MO NC OK SC TN TX VA MEXICO
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Palatability

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Saw greenbrier is palatable browse for white-tailed deer [6].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Phenology

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More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: fruit, vine

Saw greenbrier flowers from April to May [17,19,30], April to June [41], or May to July [7] depending on latitude. The fruit ripens from September to October, persisting on the vine through the winter [7,19,34].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Plant Response to Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: cover, formation, frequency, hardwood, herbaceous, litter, prescribed fire, relative dominance, vine

In Oklahoma, a post oak (Quercus stellata)-blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica) and tallgrass prairie mosaic was subjected to prescribed fire to determine the response of understory species to fire and timing of fire. The groundlayer vegetation was dominated by little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). Saw greenbrier was present only on sites that were selected to receive prescribed fire in summer (July 1979), and showed very little difference in cover following the fire [1]. In Texas, a prescribed fire in March, 1974, consumed 80 to 90 percent of the previous year's needle and leaf cast and 50 percent of old litter under a loblolly pine-shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) plantation. Average saw greenbrier height decreased from 11.8 feet (3.60 m) to 4.79 feet (1.46 m) and the average number of stems per plant increased from 1.47 to 1.62 (measured July 1975) [36]. Also in Texas, prescribed surface fires were conducted in February, 1982 to assess the response of vegetation under either Plateau oak (Quercus fusiformis) or post oak. By July, saw greenbrier had increased in relative dominance and frequency on both site types [20]. The Research Project Summary, Response of herbaceous vegetation to winter burning in Texas oak savanna provides information on postfire response of associated herbaceous species in this study. In Florida, frequent prescribed fires in longleaf pine-slash pine (Pinus elliotii) communities have prevented the formation of a hardwood midstory. Saw greenbrier was the most common vine in these fire-maintained stands [38]. Also in Florida, longleaf pine-turkey oak (Quercus laevis) stands were subjected to periodic prescribed fire. Greenbriers were present in low numbers (15 percent occurrence) and were subjected to heavy spring browsing (90 percent of twigs browsed=90 percent utilization) on 1-year-old burns. Greenbriers were not reported from study plots that represented postfire years 2, 3, and 4 [18].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Post-fire Regeneration

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regeneration Processes

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: seed

Saw greenbrier reproduces by seed and by rhizomes. The seeds are animal dispersed and can be carried long distances by birds [8].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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More info on this topic.

This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

14 Great Plains
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Successional Status

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More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: cover, forest, succession, vine, vines

Facultative Seral Species Saw greenbrier is often found in early seres and disturbed sites. It is listed with other plants characterized as early arrivals following disturbance [8]. In sand dune succession of barrier islands off North Carolina, several vines successively colonize inland dunes: Virginia creeper, eastern poison-ivy, and saw greenbrier [2]. Saw greenbrier was reported from years 0 to 10 in oldfield succession in Georgia, but was not discussed for later stages and the authors implied that the early colonizers were crowded out by Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and other species [27]. Saw greenbrier was the most widely distributed and abundant vine on a 3-year-old gravel pit in eastern Texas. It was present in successively lower numbers on a 5-year-old gravel pit, a 47-year-old gravel pit, and the adjacent unexcavated forest [44]. In Kansas, loss of American elms (Ulmus americana) to Dutch elm disease further opened an already open canopy and created conditions where cover values of woody and weedy species increased, including that of saw greenbrier [13]. In Florida, saw greenbrier occurred in a stand composed of large, old trees (mostly laurel oak [Quercus laurifolia], pignut hickory [Carya glabra], and magnolia [Magnolia grandiflora]) with no evidence of past fire, logging, or grazing [8].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Taxonomy

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: fern

The currently accepted scientific name for saw greenbrier is Smilax
bona-nox L. (Smilacaceae, formerly Liliaceae) [12,16,19,30,41].

The following varieties are recognized by various authors:

S. b. var. bona-nox
S. b. var. hastata (Willd.) DC [12,30,41]
S. b. var. exaruiculata Fern. [12,41]
S. b. var. hederaefolia (Beyrich) Fern. [12,30,34,41]
S. b. var. littoralis Coker [41]

Throughout this write-up, the term 'greenbrier' will be used to refer to
cases where other Smilax species are treated with saw greenbrier, or
where Smilax species are undifferentiated.
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites

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More info for the terms: forest, frequency

Saw greenbrier occurred on unreclaimed lignite surface mine sites in east-central Texas. It was recorded on 15-, 30-, and 50-year-old sites and in adjacent undisturbed forest. Its highest frequency occurred in undisturbed forest sites [33].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Smilax bona-nox. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Smilax bona-nox

provided by wikipedia EN

Smilax bona-nox, the saw greenbrier, is a species of plant in the family Smilacaceae. It is native to the Southern United States, and eastern Mexico.

Description

Smilax bona-nox, also known as saw greenbrier, is a flowering vine that is prickly with a one-seeded fruit. This plant needs full sun but can also survive in partial shade. It prefers moist soil but is tolerant of numerous soil types. They are commonly found in wooded disturbed areas. Smilax bona-nox is dioecious, meaning it is either male or female.[2][3][4][5]

The rhizome of the Smilax bona-nox.

Smilax bona-nox produces fruits, one seeded drupes, that are dispersed by animals. Fruits are black and blue in color. The fruits are edible to humans and wildlife. Fruit harvest is during the fall and summer months.[4]

Bullbriar, Catbriar, Dunes Saw Greenbrier, Greenbriar, Streychberry Vine, and Tramp's Trouble are common names for Smilax bona-nox.[5][6]

Distribution

Smilax bona-nox ranges across much of the eastern part of the U.S. It is distributed as far south as southern Florida, west to the edge of Texas and eastern Mexico, north to Maryland, Kentucky and southern parts of Indiana and Illinois, Missouri and Southeastern Kansas. Smilax bona-nox also occurs in Bermuda and Mexico.[5]

Smilax bona-nox are dispersed by being eaten and passed by wildlife. Mainly small animals and songbirds partake in their fruits but they are also eaten by deer and black bears.[7]

Cultivation

Smilax bona-nox is easy to grow by seed, and should be grown near lattice work or near something it can climb. This is a climbing plant that needs something to hold on to. It should also be given plenty of room as it will grow quickly and will shade other plants.[8]

Ethnobotany

Smilax bona-nox has many uses. The leaves of this plant were used for cigarette wrappers by the Native Americans. The roots can be used not only to make bread but also as medicines. The roots of this plant are known to help urinary tract infections and as an antioxidant.[4]

Edibility

Smilax bona-nox is edible whether cooked or not. If cooked, the roots can be made into a gelatin replacement if ground into a powder. Younger shoots are edible raw or cooked. The fruits are also edible; they are black and blue.[4][9]

Saw Greenbriar - Smilax bona-nox, Colt Creek State Park, Lakeland, Florida.jpg

Control

Smilax bona-nox can be controlled with herbicides but has been known to adapt to the effects of it. It has also been known to not be affected at all. Some herbicides have been known to also help it grow instead of causing it to die. Smilax bona-nox can also be controlled by fire but it returns due to respiration.[10]

Wildlife

Many animals use the fruit of Smilax bona-nox as food, including wood ducks, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, fish crows, black bears, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and multiple species of songbirds. Both the leaves and fruit are occasionally eaten by white-tailed deer.

The leaves and growth of the plant are used for shelter for smaller mammals. It is used to help smaller mammals to hide from both larger mammals and predator birds. The prickles on the plant are for protection from larger herbivores.[4]

Fire ecology

The Smilax bona-nox is tolerant to the occasional control burns and natural fires. Because they have rhizomes under ground, they can still sprout even when they have lost the tops of their plants. Corm-like forms can grow along with their rhizomes.[11]

References

  1. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ "Smilax bona-nox | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  3. ^ "USDA Plants Database". plants.sc.egov.usda.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Smilax bona-nox (Bullbriar, Catbriar, Dunes Saw Greenbrier, Greenbriar, Saw Greenbrier, Stretchberry Vine, Tramp's Trouble) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  5. ^ a b c "Smilax bona-nox". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  6. ^ "Smilax bona-nox L. — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  7. ^ "Smilax bona-nox". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  8. ^ Cullen, James (February 2006). "544. Smilax Bona-nox 'Cantab'. Smilacaceae". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 23 (1): 25–29. doi:10.1111/j.1355-4905.2006.00508.x. ISSN 1355-4905.
  9. ^ "Useful Temperate Plants". temperate.theferns.info. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  10. ^ Janak, Travis Wayne (2011). Evaluation of Various Herbicides for Saw Greenbrier [Smilax bona-nox L.] and Southern Dewberry [Rubus trivialis Michx.] Control and Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] Tolerance and Sharppod Morningglory [Ipomoea trichocarpa var. trichocarpa Ell.] Control in Roundup Ready Flex® and LibertyLink® Cotton Systems (MS). Texas A&M University.
  11. ^ Hulnik, Frank Wayne (1974). Effect of Fire on the Growth of Rhus Glabra L. and Smilax Bona-Nox L. (PDF) (MS). Oklahoma State University.
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Smilax bona-nox: Brief Summary

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Smilax bona-nox, the saw greenbrier, is a species of plant in the family Smilacaceae. It is native to the Southern United States, and eastern Mexico.

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