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Greenbrier
Smilax china
サルトリイバラ
A deciduous climbing shrub commonly found at forest edges on hills and mountains throughout Japan. Its thorns are said to snag even monkeys, hence the name. In western Japan, the leaves are used to wrap kashiwa-mochi (rice cakes) instead of oak leaves. The red berries in autumn are decorative.
Identification Points
- ✓Stems bear sharp thorns
- ✓Leaves broadly ovate and glossy with 3–5 prominent veins
- ✓Bright red berries clustered in spherical groups in autumn
Habitat
Forest edges and thickets on mountains and hills
Season
April–May (flowers); October–November (fruits)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Vine
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf shape
Round
Habitat
Forest
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf margin
Entire
Petal count
6 petals
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Dioecious
Phylogenetic Positionサルトリイバラ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Liliales > Smilacaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 80 Ma onwards)
Evolution Notes
Smilacaceae is an exceptional monocot group possessing reticulate venation. It has evolved a survival strategy combining thorn defense with bird-mediated seed dispersal.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification