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Liliaceae Family - "Carrion Flower, Jacob's Ladder (also Polemonium reptans)"

Smilax comes from the Greek word meaning "rasping" referring to the torns found on most of the plants in this genus. Herbacea comes from the Latin and refers to the non wood-like traits of S. herbacea. Most of the other members of this genus are woody vines with thorns being very prominent.

Found in the northern reaches of the Tallgrass region on rich woodland soils. Flowers bloom from May through June. They are annual vines growing up to 7 feet long, thornless (uncharacteristic for this genus) and will cling to fences, trees and bushes by twin tendrils that emerge from the leaf axils. A single plant will produce either male or female flowers, but not both. Anywhere from 12 - 85 tiny green-white flowers form in a ball at the end of a flattened, 4 to 9 inch long flower stalk. The flowers have the odor of rotting flesh which attracts the insects necessary for pollination. The female flowers produce an edible berry, blue-black in color when ripe.

Carrion Flower was used by both early settlers and native Americans. The tubers were roasted and ground into a servicible flour for breads. The Meskwaki relished the small berries, calling them "coon-berries". The young shoots resemble asparagus and have served as a substitute for that vegetable. The berries are favorite foods of birds and animals; that explains why so many of them will sprout up along fencelines...where the bird sits, as it were.