Chinese smilax

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese smilax
• Glabrous Greenbrier
• chinaroot

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Smilax trigona
• Smilax blinii
• Smilax glabra var. maculata
• Smilax mengmaensis
• Smilax dunniana
• Smilax hookeri
• Smilax calophylla var. concolor

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Smilax glabra, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Liliales. Finally, it is classified under the family Smilacaceae and the genus Smilax.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to several distinct regions across China, showing a widespread presence throughout the country. Its distribution includes the diverse landscapes of China South-Central and the tropical environment of Hainan. Furthermore, it can be found growing in the areas of China North-Central and China Southeast. The species also extends its range into the high-altitude terrain of Tibet. Collectively, these locations highlight the broad geographical footprint of Smilax glabra across the Chinese mainland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Smilax glabra is characterized by its adaptation to specific montane environments, where it thrives across a vertical gradient within its habitat. This species is primarily found at significant altitudes, maintaining a presence within an elevational range that reaches a maximum of 1800 m AMSL. The distribution of the plant is closely tied to these elevations, with an observed elevational range mean of 1800 m AMSL, suggesting a highly specialized niche within higher-altitude ecosystems. Such positioning indicates that the plant is well-adapted to the climatic conditions, such as temperature fluctuations and moisture availability, typical of these mid-to-high mountain zones.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Smilax glabra is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its habitat. As an evergreen species, it maintains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous photosynthetic activity and structural presence regardless of the season. In terms of its ecological strategy and growth habit, it is classified as a cryptophyte, indicating that its vital organs are protected at or below the soil surface to endure environmental stressors.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Smilax glabra is characterized by its robust, woody growth form, which manifests as a perennial shrub. As a climbing plant, it functions as a liana, utilizing its structure to ascend through surrounding vegetation, although it possesses a degree of self-supporting capability. The plant is fundamentally independent, exhibiting no parasitic behavior, and maintains a terrestrial life habit rather than an epiphytic one. Its structural integrity is defined by its woody nature, providing the necessary firmness for its sprawling and climbing habit.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Smilax glabra is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure features elliptic leaves with entire margins, lacking any defensive leaf thorns or spines. Morphologically, the leaves exhibit significant variability in dimensions; they typically maintain a mean length of 9 cm, with individual leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 6 cm to a maximum of 12 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1 cm and a maximum of 4 cm, resulting in an overall mean leaf width of 2.5 cm.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

9 cm

Leaf length min:

6 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Smilax glabra is characterized by the production of fleshy fruits that play a crucial role in its dispersal mechanism. These fleshy fruits exhibit specific morphological dimensions, typically ranging in length from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 1 cm, with an average fruit length of approximately 0.85 cm. Similarly, the fruit width varies between 0.7 cm and 1 cm, maintaining a mean width of 0.85 cm. Within these fleshy structures, the seeds are contained, featuring a consistent seed volume that is measured at a mean of 21 mm³, which also represents both the minimum and maximum recorded volume of 21 mm³.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.85 cm

Fruit length min:

0.7 cm

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.85 cm

Fruit width min:

0.7 cm

Seed volume max:

21 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Smilax glabra has 1 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome.

Rhizome

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
3. The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology
4. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology
5. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Chemicals

Smilax glabra has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Astilbin, Flavonoids, Isoastilbin, Engeletin, Neoastilbin.

Astilbin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
3. Food chemistry: X
4. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
5. Chinese medicine

Flavonoids

1. Drug design, development and therapy
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Isoastilbin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. Chinese medicine
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Engeletin

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
2. Planta medica
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Neoastilbin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Chinese medicine
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Neoisoastilbin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Chinese medicine
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

quercetin

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

5-O-Caffeoylshikimic acid

1. Planta medica

Compound 1

1. Bioorganic chemistry

Compound 10

1. Bioorganic chemistry

Activities

Smilax glabra has 2 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiviral.

Antioxidant

1. Drug design, development and therapy
2. Chinese medicine

Antiviral

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Conditions

Smilax glabra has 18 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Arthritis, Clonorchis sinensis, E. coli, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes.

Arthritis

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Clonorchis sinensis

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine

E. coli

1. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI

Escherichia coli

1. Microorganisms

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Microorganisms

Osteoarthritis

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Salmonella enteritidis

1. Microorganisms

Blood glucose

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Cardiac disease

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hyperuricemia

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Preparations

Smilax glabra has 18 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include water extract, EtOH extract, Fresh SG without processing, SG herbal preparations, Total flavonoids.

Water extract

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Etoh extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fresh sg without processing

1. Food chemistry: X

Sg herbal preparations

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Total flavonoids

1. Food chemistry: X

Tu-fu-ling (tfl)

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude aqueous and organic extracts

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Crude ethanol extracts

1. Molecular medicine reports

Ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Fresh sg

1. Food chemistry: X