Smilax riparia




Family Smilacaceae (also placed in Liliaceae)
Scientific name Smilax riparia A. de Candolle
Synonyms Coprosmanthus oldhamii (Miquel) Masamune var. daibuensis (Hayata) Masamune; Coprosmanthus pseudochina Masamune var. daibuensis (Hayata) Masamune; Smilax excelsa L. var. ussuriensis Regel; Smilax flaccida C. H. Wright; Smilax herbacea L. var. angusta C. H. Wright; Smilax herbacea L. var. daibuensis Hayata; Smilax herbacea L. var. foetida H. Léveillé; Smilax herbacea L. var. heterophylla H. Léveillé; Smilax herbacea L. var. lancilimba Merrill; Smilax higoensis Miquel var. maximowiczii (Koidzumi) Kitagawa; Smilax higoensis Miquel var. ussuriensis (Regel) Kitagawa; Smilax maximowiczii Koidzumi; Smilax oldhamii Miquel; Smilax oldhamii Miquel var. daibuensis (Hayata) T. Koyama; Smilax oldhamii Miquel var. ussuriensis (Regel) A. de Candolle; Smilax ovatorotunda Hayata var. ussuriensis (Regel) H. Hara; Smilax ovatorotunda Hayata var. ussuriensis (Regel) H. Hara forma stenophylla H. Hara; Smilax ovatorotunda Hayata var. ussuriensis (Regel) H. Hara forma maximowiczii (Koidzumi) H. Hara; Smilax pteropus Miquel; Smilax riparia forma ovatorotunda (Hayata) T. Koyama; Smilax riparia A. de Candolle subsp. ussuriensis (Regel) Kitagawa; Smilax riparia A. de Candolle var. ussuriensis (Regel) H. Hara et T. Koyama; Smilax riparia A. de Candolle var. ussuriensis (Regel) H. Hara et T. Koyama forma maximowiczii (Koidzumi) T. K oyama; Smilax takaoensis Hayata
Common name (Japanese common name) shiode
(English common name) none
Distribution (Japan) Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
(Other nations) Korea, China, Taiwan, Philippines
Habitat Mountane forest and fields
Chromosomal number 2n=32
Description Plants 50-130cm long. Leaves 5-11cm long, petioles 1-2cm long. Flowers pale green 6 perianths, each 4-5mm long in male flower, 2-2.5mm long in female flower, flowering in May to June. Fruits balck ca. 1cm. Perennial plants.
References Smilax riparia var. riparia
Process for preparing saponin compounds (US Patent 6753414/2004)
Agent for hair growth (European Patent EP1915997/2008)



Male plants


July 2007
at lowland forest
July 2007
at lowland forest
July 2007
at lowland forest


July 2007
at lowland forest



Female plants


July 2007
at lowland forest
July 2007
at lowland forest
July 2007
at lowland forest