四棱菝葜 si leng ba qia

Smilax polycephala F. T. Wang & T. Tang.

Vines climbing, unarmed. Stem and branches woody; branches 4-angled, angles narrowly winged. Petiole 6--7 cm, laterally compressed, narrowly winged for ca. 1/3 its length; abscission zone apical; tendrils rather long. Leaf blade abaxially glaucous, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 20--30 × 8--13 cm, leathery. Inflorescence a spike of 7--12 umbels, 11--28 cm, basally prophyllate; umbels sessile on elongate, slightly zigzagged rachis, 4--12-flowered, base thickened; bracteoles many, broadly ovate. Male flowers: tepals pale yellow, outer ones ca. 5 × 1.5--2 mm; stamens ca. 1/2 as long as tepals; filaments very short; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Female flowers unknown. Berries globose, ca. 1 cm in diam. Fl. Aug.

Forests; ca. 1500 m. SE Yunnan [Vietnam].