Family: Liliaceae Genus: Smilax Common name: Arítjol, llengüeta de pardalet, sarsa-parrilla (Gata, Pedreguer), arínjol (Forna, Adzúbia). Uses and properties: Furniture, building and tools. Medicinal. Flowering time: August to November. Vital forms: Phanerophyte (Faneròfit). Habitats: Holm oak, kermes oak and cork oak woods. Bardises. Cultivated fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Ullastrars and other sclerophyllous chaparral, juniper groves. Heather swamps, siliceous shoots. Pine woods and chaparral with rosemary and thyme. Rocky surfaces, dry walls and edges. Features: Liana is covered with spines, both on the stems and on the leaves. The leaves have a chorus-like shape, perhaps more or less broad or elongated at the tip, but always with rounded, puddled ears. The flowers form umbels hanging from a peduncle. The typical subspecies differs from subsp. balearica in that it is almost leafless, the stems are very thick and it does not form lianas but thorny bushes. On the other hand, subsp. altissima has very broad leaves, almost wider than long, and no thorns. There are many intermediate forms between the three subspecies. Autumn flowering. Information taken from the website http://herbarivirtual.uib.es/ and from the book Pellicer, Joan (2000). Costumari Botànic [2]. Edicions del Bullent |