Skip to main content

Smilax excelsa L. Smilacaceae

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Ethnobotany of the Caucasus

Synonyms

Smilax laevis Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.; Smilax panduriformis Aliev

Local Names

Georgia: – ek’alghich’i, – burts’umela (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian.), – dadzi (Chanetian), – ek’ala (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian), – k’alia (Megrelian), – k’alie (Megrelian), – k’alieshi dzvgiri (Megrelian), – k’ank’ra (Kakhetian), – k’orchkheli (Megrelian), – k’urts’umela (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian), – p’ruts’una (Kartlian), – p’urts’umoli (Chanetian), – ghich’a (Pshavian), – ghich’I (Kartlian, Kakhetian), – q’urts’umela (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian), – dzvgiri (Megrelian), – dzigura (Gurian); fruit names: – k’ak’ilari (Megrelian), – k’ink’aruzha (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian), – k’urk’ant’ela (Gurian), – shashvipura (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian) (Makashvili 1991); English: Zarzaparilla.

Botany and Ecology

Perennial. 2–3 mm tall. No hairs. Stems creeping, prickly, 4–8 mm long. Leaves are cordate-ovate or broadly ovate, 6–8.5 cm long, 4–8 cm wide. Flowers in 4–10 umbels;...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua-Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Jinjikhadze T, Shanshiashvili T, Chelidze D, Batsatsashvili K, Bakanidze N. Wine, beer, snuff, medicine and loss of diversity – ethnobotanical travels in the Georgian, Caucasus. Ethnobot Res Appl. 2014;12:237–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Khutsishvili M, Batsatsashvili K, Hart RE. A comparative ethnobotany of Khevsureti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Tusheti, Svaneti, and Racha-Lechkhumi, Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo), Caucasus. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2016a;12:43. doi:10.1186/s13002-016-0110-2.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Batsatsashvili K, Hart RE. Medicinal and food plants of Svaneti and Lechkhumi, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Med Aromat Plants. 2016b;5:266. doi:10.4172/2167-0412.1000266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Batsatsashvili K, Hart RE. Plants in the spa – the medicinal plant market of Borjomi, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Indian J Tradit Knowl. 2017a;16(1):25–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Batsatsashvili K, Hart RE. Ethnobotany of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Indian J Tradit Knowl. 2017b;16(1):7–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Sikharulidze S, Kikvidze Z, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Khutsishvili M, Batsatsashvili K, Hart RE. Medicinal and food plants of Tusheti, Khevsureti and Pshavi, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia). Act Soc Bot Pol. 2017c; 86(2), 3517. https://doi.org/10.5586/asbp.3517.

  • Javakhishvili I. Materials for history of household and crafts, Food and drinks, vol. 5. Tbilisi: Metsniereba; 1986 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ketskhoveli N, Kharadze A, Gagnidze R. Flora of Georgia, 16 vols. Tbilisi: Metsniereba; 1971–2011 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kopaliani L. Forest plants of Georgia (trees, shrubs, herbs). Kutaisi: Publishing Center; 2013 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Makashvili A. Botanical dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba; 1991 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Metreveli R, editor. Ethnoraphic dictionary of the Georgian material culture. Tbilisi: Meridiani; 2011 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

  • Shengelia Z. The culture of medicinal plants in Georgia. Tbilisi: Sabchota Sakartvelo; 1983 (in Georgian).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rainer W. Bussmann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Cite this entry

Batsatsashvili, K. et al. (2017). Smilax excelsa L. Smilacaceae . In: Bussmann, R. (eds) Ethnobotany of the Caucasus. European Ethnobotany. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49412-8_98

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics