Category:Sarsaparilla

Sar`sa*pa*ril"la, n. Etym: [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.

Note: the name is also applied to many other plants and their roots, Especially to the aralia nudicaulis, the wild sarsaparilla of the United states.