Smilax china is a climbing plant species in the genus Smilax. It is native to China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and India.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesMerrill, E.D. (1922). An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants 1(2): 129-240. Bureau of Science, Manila.Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (eds.) (1975). Flora of Thailand 2: 1-484. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.Leroy, J.-F. (ed.) (1983). Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viêt-Nam 20: 1-175. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.Ohwi, J. (1984). Flora of Japan (in English): 1-1067. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.Baruah, S., Borthakur, S.K., Gogoi, P. & Ahmed, M. (2011). New distributional record of Smilax china Linnaeus (Smilacaceae) in India. Pleione 5: 328-330. It is also known as china root, china-root, or chinaroot, as is the related Smilax glabra.
Description The stem is woody, sparsely prickly, and long. Petiole is long; leaf blade is elliptic to orbicular, long and wide, sometimes wider. Berries are red, globose, and in diameter.
Kaempferol 7-O-glucoside, a flavonol glucoside, can be found in S. china.
Habitat In China, S. china occurs in forests, thickets, hillsides, grassy slopes, and shaded places along valleys or streams. It is found from near sea level to .
Human use In Korea, its leaves and roots are used as herbs.
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