Hi
I meant to say the last post about OMBU can be seen at Kassiopi estate
http://kassiopiaestate.com/gardens.html Mediterranean smilaxYou can see this plant on your walks
Smilax Is a species of flowering vine in the greenbriar family. common names common smilax, rough bindweed, sarsaparille,
is a genus of about 300–350 species,
Family: Smilacaceae
Genus: Smilax
Species: S. aspera
Smilax aspera is a perennial, evergreen climber with a flexible and delicate stem, with sharp thorns The climbing stem is 1–4 metres The leaves are 8–10 centimetres tough and leathery, heart-shaped, with toothed and spiny margins. The underside of the leaves are provided with spines.
The flowers, very fragrant, are small, yellowish or greenish, gathered in axillary racemes. The flowering period in Mediterranean regions extends from September to November. The fruits are globose berries, gathered in clusters, which ripen in Autumn. They are initially red, later turn black. They have a diameter of 8–10 millimetres and contain one to three tiny and round seeds. They're insipid and unpalatable to humans, but they are a source of nourishment for many species of birds.Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
The plant is widespread in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia), Mediterranean Europe (Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, France, Portugal, Spain), temperate Asia Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and tropical Asia India, Bhutan, Nepal. It is also naturalized in other regions
HABITAT
Thrives in Mediterranean forests and shrublands, wasteland sunny,shade,close to the sea,river banks and ravines,
Although we do not eat the fruits, other plant parts, including the rhizomes (horizontal underground stems), of many Smilax species are edible.
The plant is often grown as an impenetrable hedge in the tropics
MYTHOLOGY & HISTORY:
* The word 'smilax' comes from the Greek name for 'poison'. According to Dioscorides, it was considered an antidote to poison, and if the berries were crushed into a drink and given to a new-born child, ‘he shall be hurt by no poisonous medicine’. 'Aspera' comes from the Latin word for 'rough', possibly referring to the toughness of its branches, or to the presence of many small prickles that make the plant cling to clothes and other plants, giving it a rough sensation.
* There are different versions about Smilax in Greek mythology, but all involve a relationship between the beautiful nymph Smilax with a Spartan boy, Krokos, loved by the god Hermes. After the unhappy love affair Hermes metamorphosed him into the saffron crocus. Aphrodite transformed the tragic nymph into the Smilax, to grow nearby, so that they could be together for eternity.
UNKNOW NONE ?Young shoots - raw or cooked as a vegetable
They can be cooked and used as an asparagus substitute. The tendrils are also eaten
The plant is an ingredient of soft drinks this probably refers to the root
Berries are delicious raw or cooked into a jam or jelly. ... Roots were also ground and used in Sarsaparilla or as an addition to flavor root beer. Additionally, they were also used to thicken soups, sauces and stews.
In the American “Old West,” sarsaparilla was the most popular drink of the cowboys.
The plant is often grown as an impenetrable hedge in the tropics
A red dye is obtained from the ripe tendrils
wild life birds
Root has extensive medicinal uses. As the traditional medicine, it is used to treat leprosy, tumors, cancer, psoriasis and rheumatism. It is also used as tonic for anemia and skin diseases. It is reported to have anti-inflammatory, testosterogenic, aphrodisiac and progesterogenic effects.
The ripe fruits are squeezed and applied to the skin in the treatment of scabies