Smilax lyi H. Léveillé; S. stenopetala A. Gray.

Vines climbing. Stem branched, subterete, to 10 m, woody, sometimes sparsely prickly. Petiole 1--2 cm, narrowly winged for 2/5--1/2 its length; abscission zone distal; tendrils commonly present. Leaf blade broadly elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 5--17 × 3--11 cm. Inflorescence a raceme of 3--6(--10) umbels, 3--7 cm, basally prophyllate; umbels of both sexes 12--25-flowered, base slightly thickened, globose, ca. 2 × 2 mm. Male flowers: tepals olive green to dark red, ca. 5 × 0.7--1.3 mm. Female flowers: tepals smaller than male ones; staminodes 3. Berries globose, 5--7 mm in diam. Fl. Nov--Feb, fr. Jun--Aug. 2 n = 32.

Forests, thickets, shaded places on grassy slopes; near sea level to 1800 m. Fujian, Guangdong Guangxi, S Guizhou, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].