Found in the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers. Eastern Region. CARRION FLOWER (Smilax Herbacea)Lily Family Description: Vine with broad leaves and stalked, round, axillary clusters of small green putrid-smelling flowers. Flowers: about1/2" across; petals 3, greenish; sepals 3,petal like stamen6. Male and female flowers borne on seperate plants. Leaves: to 5" long; pale green, ovate. Fruit: bluish-black berry. Height: vine, with stem 3-9'
FLOWERING: May-June.
HABITAT: Moist woods, thickets, and meadows.
RANGE: Manitoba to Quebec and New Brunswick; sout to New England, Virginia and Georgia west to Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri.
COMMENTS: This attractive vine climbs over othe vegetation by means of tendrils. The bad-smelling flowers attract insects, especially carrion flies, which serve as pollinators. Within this genus are at least 6 Carbriers: thorny, green-stemmed, often evergreen vines that form tangled thickets. The most common are Greenbrier with heart shaped leaves and stout thorns. Sawbriers with heart shaped leaves a whitish bloom beneath, and weak spines/ and Bullbrier a southern and miswestern species with triangular leaves, stout thorns/ and 4-angled stem.Hope this helps.
BOYLSTON, MASS.
