Sar`sa*pa*ril"la (?), n. [Sp.
zarzaparrilla; zarza a bramble (perhaps fr. Bisc.
zartzia) + parra a vine, or Parillo, a physician
said to have discovered it.] (Bot.) (a)
Any plant of several tropical American species of
Smilax. (b) The bitter mucilaginous
roots of such plants, used in medicine and in sirups for soda,
etc.
&fist; The name is also applied to many other plants and their
roots, especially to the Aralia nudicaulis, the wild
sarsaparilla of the United States.
Sar`sa*pa*ril"la (?), n. [Sp.
zarzaparrilla; zarza a bramble (perhaps fr. Bisc.
zartzia) + parra a vine, or Parillo, a physician
said to have discovered it.] (Bot.) (a)
Any plant of several tropical American species of
Smilax. (b) The bitter mucilaginous
roots of such plants, used in medicine and in sirups for soda,
etc.
&fist; The name is also applied to many other plants and their
roots, especially to the Aralia nudicaulis, the wild
sarsaparilla of the United States.