Smilax officinalis
{{Short description|Species of plant in the family Smilacaceae}}
{{Speciesbox
|image=Flore médicale des Antilles, ou, Traité des plantes usuelles (8261802300).jpg
|image_caption=Botanical illustration
|image2=Sarsaparillae1.JPG
|image2_caption=Sarsaparillae radix
|genus=Smilax
|species=officinalis
|authority=Kunth
|synonyms={{Collapsible list|
- Smilax barbillana {{small|Cufod.}}
- Smilax bernhardii {{small|F.W.Apt}}
- Smilax chiriquensis {{small|C.V.Morton}}
- Smilax gilgiana {{small|F.W.Apt}}
- Smilax standleyi {{small|Killip & C.V.Morton}}
- Smilax tonduzii {{small|F.W.Apt}}
- Smilax vanilliodora {{small|F.W.Apt}}
}}}}
Smilax officinalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Smilacaceae, native to southern Central America and northwest South America; Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.{{cite POWO |id=541685-1 |title=Smilax officinalis Kunth |access-date=20 March 2022 }} A vine reaching {{cvt|50|m|ft}} as it climbs trees into the canopy, its roots are collected and used to make traditional medicines and, like other Smilax species, the soft drink sarsaparilla.{{cite web |url=http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Smilax+officinalis |title=Useful Tropical Plants Smilax officinalis |last1=Fern |first1=Ken |date=30 July 2021 |website=tropical.theferns.info |publisher=Tropical Plants Database |access-date=20 March 2022 }}