Large False Solomon's Seal / Feathery False Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum racemosum)

 

7/4/05 Mill Creek Falls Trail, South Warner Wilderness, Modoc National Forest, Modoc County, CA 

7/4/05 Mill Creek Falls Trail

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Large False Solomon's Seal

SPECIES: Maianthemum racemosum

FAMILY: Ruscaceae (Broom-Rape Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 7/4/2005

LOCATION: Mill Creek Falls Trail, South Warner Wilderness, Modoc National Forest, Modoc County, CA

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From Jepson eFlora:

MAIANTHEMUM FALSE LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY, FALSE SOLOMON'S SEAL

Rhizome creeping. Stem: erect, simple [0]. Leaf: alternate, generally ± clasping, lower reduced to sheathing scales. Inflorescence: terminal, raceme to panicle. Flower: perianth parts 4 or 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, white; stamens 4 or 6; ovary superior, chambers 2–3, style 1, stigmas 2–3. Fruit: berry. Seed: 1–3.
3 species: northern temperate. (Greek: May flower, from flowering season) [LaFrankie 2002 FNANM 26:206–210] Historically divided into 2 genera, Maianthemum, Smilacina (1. vs 1' in key); otherwise ± equal morphologically, unique chromosomally. 

M. racemosum (L.) Link 

NATIVE

Rhizome 5–10 mm diam. Stem: 30–90 cm, glabrous to finely hairy above. Leaf: > 5, 7–20 cm, ovate to oblong-elliptic, acute to acuminate, glabrous to finely hairy abaxially; petioles ± 0. Inflorescence: panicle, 5–12 cm; flowers > 20. Flower: perianth parts 6, 1–2 mm, << stamens, ± erect, narrowly oblong; ovary chambers 3. Fruit: 5–7 mm, red, dotted purple. Seed: 2.5–6 mm, brown.
n=±18. Moist, open woodland, streambanks; < 2000 m. Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Transverse Ranges; to Alaska, eastern North America. [Maianthemum racemosum subsp. amplexicaule (Nutt.) LaFrankie; Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf.; Smilacina racemosa var. amplexicaulis (Nutt.) S. Watson; Smilacina racemosa var. glabra (J.F. Macbr.) H. St. John] Mar–Jul