The Collaborative International Dictionary
China brier
Bull brier \Bull" bri`er\ (Bot.) A species of Smilax ( Smilax Pseudo-China) growing from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico, which has very large tuberous and farinaceous rootstocks, formerly used by the Indians for a sort of bread, and by the negroes as an ingredient in making beer; -- called also bamboo brier and China brier.