Kumarika / Ceylon Smilax
Smilax zeylanica
- Habit
- Climber
- Found in India
- Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & more
- Flowering
- April-February
How to identify Kumarika
Identify Kumarika by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a climber habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Prickly climbing stems.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: April-February.
- In India, compare location records such as Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Smilacaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Kumarika.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Smilax zeylanica
- Genus
- Smilax
- Family
- Smilacaceae
- Habit
- Climber
- Habitat
- Moist deciduous forests and semi-Evergreen forests, also in the plains
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Distribution
- India, Himalayas, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Indo-China
- Found in India
- Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-February
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Smilacaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Inflorescence
- Umbel
- Fruit
- Berry
Typical of the Smilacaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- कुमारिका Kumarika, Jangli Aushbah, Bhitura
- Nepali
- चोपचिनी Chopachinee
- Bengali
- কুমাৰিকা Kumarika
- Tamil
- Ayadi, Malaittamarai, Tirunamappalai
- Telugu
- Kondadantena
- Kannada
- Kaadu Hambu, Kaadu Hambu Thaavare
- Malayalam
- Kaltamara, Karivilanti, കരീലാഞ്ചി
- Marathi
- घोटवेल Ghotvel
About Kumarika
A member of the Smilacaceae family, Ceylon Smilax (Smilax zeylanica) is a climber. In India it has been recorded in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and 9 other states. It grows in moist deciduous forests and semi-Evergreen forests, also in the plains. Flowering and fruiting run from April to February.
Smilacaceae
Greenbrier Or Catbrier Family
Kumarika belongs to the Smilacaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Smilacaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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