Smilax aspera L.
Eng.: Common smilax, Mediterranean smilax. Spa.: Zarzaparrilla, uva deperro, silvamar. Fre.: Salsepareille. Ara.: Zeqrech, allaïq, chequeruda, skridja, luwaya, tanesfalt, tansfalat, luaya, ochba, ûsba, alenda, asref, aakkirchu, sekkirchu. Tam.: Sigarsu, iskerchi, iskirech, sebarina.
Climbing plant, evergreen, dioecious, sarmentose, with very angular stems ascending in zigzag, equipped with small hooked spines that allow the plant to attach more easily to its support. Stems can become strongly woody, up to 5 cm in diameter and 15 m in length, and may sometimes even exceed these measurements. The final portion of the stem is herbaceous. Leaves alternate (2-11 mm long), petiolate, wide or narrowly cordiform, acute, entirely glabrous, coriaceous and bright, with an entire margin but sometimes provided with small spines which can usually appear in the midrib. At the petiole base there are 1 or 2 tendrils used by the plant to entangle onto stems, branches, trellises and anything that allows it to grow in height. Male plants produce flowers with a perianth divided into 6 pieces that open like a petaloid star, green-yellowish or green-reddish, very light colours. They have 6 stamens. These flowers are grouped into hanging umbelliform bunches. Flowers of female plants are similar, but with rudimentary and sterile stamens. Fruit is a globose berry (5-8 mm), red or black, bright, in hanging racemes.
Flowering:
May to July.
Fruiting:
October to November.
Habitat:
On all types of substrates, with semiarid to humid bioclimate, in inframediterranean and mesomediterranean floors. Generally in sclerophyllous forests and thickets of high temperatures.
Distribution:
Mediterranean region. In North Africa it is common throughout the region except in the Saharan, steppic area, and it is missing from mountains. Towards the S it reaches the Anti-Atlas and the Saharan Atlas.
Observations:
A species that has two varieties in North Africa: var. aspera, of narrow leaves, with thorns in the margins, dorsal midrib and petiole, and var. mauritanica (S. mauritanica
Poiret, S. aspera var. altissima Moris & De Not.), which differs by having larger and wider leaves, with few or no thorns. The two are distributed here and there in all suitable habitats of the region, with var. mauritanica usually more frequent. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between them, so that not all authors accept this separation.
Conservation status:
A common and locally abundant species. Currently, it is not assessed at a global level on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.