Looking for help with an ID on this strange looking plant. It is about 6' tall, quarter size stem & little nubs where one would expect leaves? I stumbled upon several of these in what we think is a small remnant sedge meadow in NE Illinois. I have logged several hours searching books & the internet, stumped. Mike
A photograph of a single leaf would help. Scale is also a bit difficult to tell, but as a first suggestion Smilax ecirrhata? It seems to have a fasciated stem.
Thank you. It turns out to be Smilax lasioneura. The leaves were very small. Your reply put me onto the genus and our conservation district list indicated only one plant in that genus found in McHenry county, IL. Thanks
Interesting climber that I haven't seen before. I didn't look carefully enough at your pics to see that the tiny balls up the stem were flower buds! First link shows some clear images that enlarge well The leaves do not seem that small. http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/smilax-lasioneura-common-carrion-flower/?cat=282 http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=7880&flora_id=1 http://www.inhs.illinois.edu/animals_plants/plants/ilgallery/ThePlants/SGenera/SmiLas/SmiLas.html http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_MO979_1&res=640
I'm a novice at this but I'm finding all kinds of high quality indicator species on this 2 ac patch. The lily family is also well represented there but even our conservation district seems to not quite belive its true! I've managed to ID 40 species now.
