Japanese name: シオデ（牛尾菜） Scientific name:Smilax riparia
[Overview]
A climbing perennial found in mixed woodlands, at forest edges, and in grasslands.
It has a thick underground stem.
The stem grows to 2–3 m or more and twines around other objects with tendrils, but dies back in winter together with the leaves.
There are no thorns.
Leaves are simple and alternate, ovate-elliptic, 5–15 cm long, glossy, with 5–7 conspicuous veins.
The petiole is 1–2 cm long and sheath-like, with long tendrils at the base.
It is dioecious.
Both male and female flowers are borne in large numbers in umbels arising from the leaf axils.
The inflorescence has a long stalk.
Both male and female flowers are pale yellowish-green with 6 tepals, and the tepals curve backward.
The fruit is a spherical berry about 1 cm in diameter, ripening black.
[Uses]
Young stems and new shoots have a flavor similar to asparagus and are eaten as wild vegetables.
