Smilax zeylanica Linnaeus subsp. hemsleyana (Craib) T. Koyama.

Vines climbing. Stem branched, 3--5(--15) m, woody, sometimes sparsely prickly. Petiole 1.5--2.5 cm, narrowly winged for ca. 1/4 its length; abscission zone at middle; tendrils usually present. Leaf blade broadly ovate to elliptic, 7--13 × 4--11 cm. Inflorescence of 1(or 2) umbels, basally prophyllate; peduncle 1.5--4.5 cm, proximally articulate, with 1 or 2 bracts; umbels of both sexes densely many flowered, base thickened, suboblong, 3--6 × 2--4.5 mm in fruit. Male flowers: tepals ca. 5 × 0.5--1 mm; stamens slightly exserted; filaments basally connate, forming a column ca. 1 mm. Female flowers: tepals ca. 4 × 0.7--1.5 mm; staminodes 3, filiform. Berries 7--8 mm in diam. Fl. Apr--May, fr. Nov.

Thickets, grassy slopes; 600--1700 m. S Guizhou, Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Thailand].