| 词源 |
sarsaparilla. True sarsaparilla (Smilac officinalis) is related to the asparagus but isn’t widely cultivated in the United States. The same legends surround its roots as surround asparagus; Mexican Indians, for example, have long used the roots of the vine in a concoction they believe cures impotence. In 1939 it was discovered that the sarsaparilla root contains large amounts of testosterone, and today much of the male sex hor- mone manufactured commercially comes from the plant. See asparagus. |