Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Liliales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (5/21/15):
Smilax biltmoreana
FAMILY
Smilacaceae
NEW! Click to go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina website.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Smilax biltmoreana
FAMILY
Smilacaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 041-02-003a:
Smilax ecirrhata var. biltmoreana
FAMILY
Liliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Nemexia biltmoreana
COMMON NAME:
Biltmore Carrionflower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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JK Marlow jkm0504s_24
April Pickens County SC
Table Rock State Park
Plants erect [not vine-like, climbing or sprawling], per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm0504s_25
April Pickens County SC
Table Rock State Park
Flowers in axillary umbels, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
)
JK Marlow jkm090425_08485
April Pickens County SC
Nine Times Preserve
Stem herbaceous, lacking prickles, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm090425_087
April Pickens County SC
Nine Times Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm100427_087b
April Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
The tepals are attached at the base of the superior ovary (developing berry).
)
JK Marlow jkm100427_090
April Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
Peduncles usually greater than 4cm long, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm150621_357
June Jackson County NC
Foothills Trail
Lowest peduncle from a leaf axil (very rarely from bract axils), per Weakley's Flora (2015).
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JK Marlow jkm200613_5864
June Jackson County NC
Foothills Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm200613_5866
June Jackson County NC
Foothills Trail
Leaves glabrous and glaucous beneath, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
Patrick D. McMillan pdmsbiltmoreana_trsp1
June Pickens County SC
Table Rock State Park
Leaves 4-7, clustered together near the summit of the stem, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm0508d_25
August Transylvania County NC
Leaves thick in texture, leaf base cordate, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
JK Marlow jkm120804_194
August Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
)
JK Marlow jkm120804_196
August Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
Leaves oblong-ovate, 7-15cm long, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
)
JK Marlow jkm120804_198
August Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
)
JK Marlow jkm180825_4160
August Pickens County SC
Jocassee Gorges
)
JK Marlow jkm180825_4163
August Pickens County SC
Jocassee Gorges
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (5/21/15):
Smilax biltmoreana
FAMILY
Smilacaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Smilax biltmoreana
FAMILY
Smilacaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 041-02-003a:
Smilax ecirrhata var. biltmoreana
FAMILY
Liliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Nemexia biltmoreana
1397
Forb
Perennial
Dioecious
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Rare (an endemic), primarily in Blue Ridge Escarpment region
Habitat: Dry forests (such as dry pine ridges and chestnut oak forests) and moist forests, per Weakley's Flora
NEW! Click here to see a range map (and maybe identification notes) from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, whorl-like cluster of 5-7 leaves near stem summit
FLOWER:
Spring
Yellowish-green
Unisexual
Radially symmetrical
6 tepals
6 stamens in staminate flowers
Superior ovary
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Black
Berry
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!