Smilax tamnoides L., 1753

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part S), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 806-877 : 859

Smilax tamnoides Linnaeus , Species Plantarum 2: 1030. 1753.

"Habitat in Carolina, Virginia, Pensylvania." RCN: 7444.

Lectotype (Fernald in Rhodora 46: 38. 1944): [icon] " Smilax Bryoniae nigrae foliis caule spinosa, baccis nigris" in Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina 1: 52, t. 52. 1730.

Current name: Smilax tamnoides L. ( Smilacaceae ).

Note: There has been much disagreement as to the identity of the type. Fernald identified it as S. tamnoides , but Clausen (in Rhodora 53: 109-111. 1951) concluded that it was a composite of several taxa, and that the name should therefore be discarded as ambiguous. Wilbur (in Sida 14: 38. 1990) supported this view, treating the woody species as S. hispida Muhl. ex. Torr. Subsequently, Wilbur (in Rhodora 105: 250-259. 2003) has provided an extensive review. He concludes that the bristly greenbriar is correctly known as S. hispida Raf. However , no formal proposal for the rejection of S. tamnoides seems to have been made.