Smilax ornata is a perennial trailing vine with prickly stems that is native to Mexico and Central America.

[4] 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".

[5][6][7][8][9] Smilax ornata is used as the basis for a soft drink frequently called sarsaparilla.

It is also a primary ingredient in old fashioned-style licorice,[10] in conjunction with sassafras,[11] which was more widely available prior to studies of its potential health risks.

[12] Smilax ornata was considered by Native Americans to have medicinal properties, and was a popular European treatment for syphilis when it was introduced from the New World.