That’s 'cause Gila is a proper name, a place. It’s why they don’t take Gouda for the cheese either.
Huh. Looking at the Wiki page it is indeed always capitalized.
Still - LIANA should be fine.
I never understood why Iliad was accepted in the first place.
In other news, I’m gonna go buy some damn galangal and cook with it and maybe then I’ll remember that damn word. Grrr.
Edit: Hah. I just looked it up and galangal is yet another word with a checkered past. It wasn’t allowed the first ten times it was a possibility.
Thanks! Now, I’m just two from QB.
One of my annoyances is trying to figure out which compound words are acceptable. Today, for instance, it accepted gangland.
I mentioned LIANA back in December.
ENNEAD isn’t an obscure word at all! My sister and I used to talk about them all the time back when we were in nursery school.
On yesterday’s (12 May) one, I suppose CENTIME is probably too foreign but what was wrong with MILT and MEMETIC?
They took CENTIME a year or two ago, but have apparently dropped it.
I think the other word you wanted is spelled MIMETIC. At least, they accept it that way.
MEMETIC is a different word. But still a word.
Not according to Sam Ezersky! 
Why didn’t they take CYCLONIC today?
My question as well. I mean, if they accepted the Pangram, they should accept this one.
Well, that was a slog. 76 words is tied for third highest number of words in the NYT Bee. LIgating? Bleh. At least I remembered Galangal this time.
I’m debating about getting to genius this time, because it sort of stopped being fun. On the other hand, I usually get there. So I don’t know.
INVIGILATING!
< shakes fist at Ezersky >
Yeah, I tried that, MW does say British though.
Always an excuse. And yet PFFT was considered an acceptable word the other day.
I mean, I personally agree, and the fact that he always includes LORRY seems like an intentional poke in the eye.
You’re not kidding. My wife and I usually compete to see who can get Queen Bee first. Most times I don’t look at the hint page/Spelling Bee Buddy until after I get Genius. On this one I finally got Genius late in the evening and said screw it, I’m done. That was just nuts.