Smilax riparia (climbing plant)
A species of climbing plant native to East Asia. The young shoots are edible and known as a wild mountain vegetable (sansai).
In spring, people gather young shoots of shiode in the mountains.
Hiragana spelling, also used.
Kanji form is rare and mainly encountered in botanical contexts.
The Japanese name shiode is of uncertain origin. The kanji 牛尾菜 literally mean 'cow tail vegetable', likely referring to the shape of the plant.