Smilaxes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of climbing plants characterized by vine-like growth and often showing a distinctive morphology in their leaves and stems that may resemble certain related species
2. Referring to a genus of plants within the family Smilacaceae, known for their twining and often thorny nature, which can adorn forests and thickets
3. Encompassing various species recognized for their attributes as climbing or trailing perennial herbs, often found in damp, shaded environments

Etymology: "Smilaxes" is the plural of "smilax," which English took from Greek "smilax" (σμίλαξ). The Greeks used the word for a climbing plant, probably a kind of bindweed, and its ultimate origin is uncertain. The Latin plural is "smilaces," but English has added the regular "-es" ending. Ovid gave the plant a mythical origin in the "Metamorphoses." In his telling, the nymph Smilax was turned into a twining vine, while her admirer Crocus became the saffron flower. The story explains why the plant's tendrils seem to cling and the name stuck to the genus that the modern botanical term now covers.