Glaucous Greenbrier Smilax glauca Walter    Synonyms: Sawbrier, Smilax glauca var. leurophylla.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Liliales   >   Family Smilacaceae   >   Genus Smilax   

Status:

Glaucous Greenbrier is common throughout Maryland. It grows in "wet or dry soils, climbing in thickets or open woods, or forming tangled mats in open fields. Spreads by underground stems" (Brown and Brown, 1972).

Description:

Leaf blades "thin but firm, many partially green and persistent through all but very severe winters" (Brown and Brown, 1972), differentiating Glaucous Greenbrier from Common Greenbrier, which tends to lose all its leaves in winter. Upper leaf surface of Glaucous Greenbrier is glossy green, lower surface whitened, whereas Common Greenbrier is green on both leaf surfaces.

There are 598 records in the project database.

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Glaucous Greenbrier in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/23/2018). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in northern Worcester Co., Maryland (6/17/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier growing in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Note persistent green color in winter. Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier blooming in Dorchester Co., Maryland (5/25/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/13/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Carroll Co., Maryland (12/28/2019). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Harford Co., Maryland (12/6/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Baltimore City, Maryland (3/25/2017). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier, showing green uppersides and whitish undersides of leaves, in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/24/2016). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/27/2016). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier growing in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/27/2016). Photo by Dan Small. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/4/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in winter at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (1/5/2013). Note the thin red vine and red leaves (in winter) compared to the typically much thicker and greener vine of our abundant Common Greenbrier. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier among Common Greenbrier in Baltimore Co., Maryland (1/5/2013). Note the whitish (i.e., glaucous) underside of the leaves, as well as the thinner and reddish vine, of the locally less common Glaucous Greenbrier. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier (underside of leaf) on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (2/20/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier (underside of leaf) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/6/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Harford Co., Maryland (8/28/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Glaucous Greenbrier in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/9/2018). (c) Tia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tia via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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