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Jamaican sarsaparilla facts for kids

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Jamaican sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilla-1271142 1920.jpg
Scientific classification
Genus:
Smilax
Species:
ornata
Synonyms
  • Smilax grandifolia Regel 1856, not Buckley 1843 nor Voigt 1845 nor Poepp. ex A. DC. 1878
  • Smilax ornata Hook. 1889 not Lem. 1865
  • Smilax regelii Killip & C.V.Morton
  • Smilax utilis Hemsl. 1899, not C.H. Wright 1895

Smilax ornata is a perennial trailing vine with prickly stems that is native to Mexico and Central America. Common names include sarsaparilla, Honduran sarsaparilla, and Jamaican sarsaparilla.

It is known in Spanish as zarzaparrilla, which is derived from the words zarza meaning "bramble" (from Basque sartzia "bramble"), and parrilla, meaning "little grape vine".

Uses

Food

Smilax ornata is used as the basis for a soft drink frequently called sarsaparilla. It is also a primary ingredient in old fashioned-style root beer, in conjunction with sassafras, which was more widely available prior to studies of its potential health risks.

Traditional medicine

Smilax ornata was considered by Native Americans to have medicinal properties.

Chemical constituents Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Smilax ornata para niños

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