Editing Smilax (section)

{{short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Smilacaceae}}
{{for|another plant sometimes called smilax|Asparagus asparagoides{{!}}''Asparagus asparagoides''}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Smilax aspera.jpg
|image_caption = Mediterranean smilax (''[[Smilax aspera|S. aspera]]'') in fruit
|taxon = Smilax
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
|subdivision = About 300–350 (''see [[#List of species|list]]'')
|synonyms_ref = <ref name=e/>
|synonyms = *''Nemexia'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Parillax'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Aniketon'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Dilax'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Coprosmanthus'' <small>Kunth</small>
*''Pleiosmilax'' <small>Seem.</small>
*''Sarsaparilla'' <small>Kuntze</small>
|type_species = ''[[Smilax aspera]]''
|type_species_authority = L.
}}

'''''Smilax''''' is a genus of about 300–350 [[species]], found in the [[tropics]] and [[subtropic]]s worldwide.<ref name=e>[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/synonomy.do?name_id=287300 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]</ref> They are climbing [[flowering plant]]s, many of which are woody and/or thorny, in the [[monocotyledon]] [[family (biology)|family]] [[Smilacaceae]], native throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. 
Common names include '''catbriers''', '''greenbriers''', '''prickly-ivys''' and '''smilaxes'''. ''Sarsaparilla'' (also zarzaparrilla, sarsparilla) is a name used specifically for the [[Neotropical realm|Neotropical]] ''[[Smilax ornata|S. ornata]]'' as well as a catch-all term in particular for American species. Occasionally, the non-woody species such as the [[Smilax herbacea|smooth herbaceous greenbrier]] (''S. herbacea'') are separated as genus ''Nemexia''; they are commonly known by the rather ambiguous name [[carrion flower|''carrion flowers'']].

Greenbriers get their [[scientific name]] from the Greek myth of [[Crocus (mythology)|Crocus]] and the [[nymph]] [[Smilax (mythology)|Smilax]].<ref>Mifsud (2002)</ref> Though this myth has numerous forms, it always centers around the unfulfilled and tragic love of a [[Human|mortal]] man who is turned into [[crocus|a flower]], and a woodland nymph who is transformed into a brambly vine.