n.
also spelled briar
term generally applied to any plant with a woody and thorny or prickly stem, such as those of the genera Rosa , Rubus , Smilax , and Erica .
White, or tree, heath ( E. arborea ) is found in southern France and the Mediterranean region. Its roots and knotted stems are used for making briarwood tobacco pipes. Its leaves are needlelike and its flowers almost white.