Smilax maculata Roxburgh.

Vines climbing. Stem and branches woody, ridged-angled, usually very sparsely prickly; prickles short, slightly compressed. Petiole often curved or twisted, 3--4 cm, sometimes sparsely prickly, wingless; abscission zone apical; tendrils rather long. Leaf blade cordate-deltoid to ovate-lanceolate, 6--15 × 5--9.5 cm. Inflorescence a spike of 5--25 umbels, 7--45 cm, basally prophyllate; umbels of both sexes sessile on elongate rachis, 3--6-flowered, base slightly thickened; bracteoles many, broadly ovate. Male flowers: tepals white, 4--5 × ca. 1 mm; stamens 2--2.5 mm. Female flowers: tepals slightly smaller than male ones; staminodes 6. Fl. Jan--Feb, fr. Nov--Dec. 2 n = 32*.

Forests; 1000--2000 m. S Xizang, SW Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal; E and N Africa, SW Asia, C and S Europe].