Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sarsaparilla \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.

   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.

Smilax \Smi"lax\, n. [L., bindweed, Gr. ???.] (Bot.)
   (a) A genus of perennial climbing plants, usually with a
       prickly woody stem; green brier, or cat brier. The
       rootstocks of certain species are the source of the
       medicine called sarsaparilla.
   (b) A delicate trailing plant ({Myrsiphyllum asparagoides})
       much used for decoration. It is a native of the Cape of
       Good Hope.

Source : WordNet®

Smilax
     n 1: sometimes placed in Smilacaceae [syn: {genus Smilax}]
     2: fragile twining plant of South Africa with bright green
        flattened stems and glossy foliage popular as a floral
        decoration [syn: {Asparagus asparagoides}]