Common name:
Native Sarsaparilla

Family name:
Smilacaceae

Botanical name:
Smilax glyciphylla

Flowering/fruiting season:

Location:
Native Sarsaparilla
Use:
Food, medicine
'Leaves and stems provide a cure-all and a general tonic reputed to relieve colds, flu, coughs, bronchitis, arthritis, rheumatism and diabetes. The new leaves can be sucked to ease a sore throat'; use with horehound for 'good blood medicine' (Wreck Bay Community & Renwick, 2000:37)
'It cures internal pains like belly-ache. … boil up the water, put the leaves in it and let it boil … let the leaves go cold … you bottle it. People are selling it now for bush medicine and some people have been using it for cancers.' (Stewart & Percival, 1997:11)
Notes:
'Leaves refreshing to chew.' (Wrigley & Fagg, 1998:615)
Leaves used as tea substitute in early days of New South Wales settlement (Cribb & Cribb, 1987:207)
Language names:
Horticulture :
Propagate from cuttings. Useful foliage plant to cover trellis (Wrigley & Fagg, 1998)

Similar species:
Some similarity in appearance to Hardenbergia violacea False Sarsaparilla