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Maianthemum racemosum — feathery false Solomon's-seal

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Facts

Feathery false Solomon's-seal is a common wildflower of moist deciduous forests throughout New England. It was widely used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes, especially the root. The ripe fruits are edible.

Habitat

Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Leaf blade shape
  • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
Leaf blade length
90–170 mm
Flower petal color
white
Flower petal length
0.5–1 mm
Petal fusion
the perianth parts are separate
Inflorescence type
the inflorescence is a panicle (branched with the individual flowers on stalks)
Ovary position
the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
Fruit type (specific)
the fruit is a berry (fleshy, with the wall enclosing one or more sections, with two or more seeds)
Fruit length
4–6 mm
Show all characteristics
  • Clonal plantlets

    Axillary bulblets
    there are no bulblets being produced in axils
  • Flowers

    Anther attachment
    the anther is attached at its midpoint to the filament
    Anther length
    0.5–1 mm
    Bulblets replace flowers
    there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
    Carpels fused
    the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
    Flower bracts
    there are bracts associated with the flower
    Flower number
    70–250
    Flower orientation
    the flowers point upward or spread or curve outward
    Flower petal color
    white
    Flower petal length
    0.5–1 mm
    Flower symmetry
    there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
    Flowering stem width
    7–9 mm
    Form of style
    the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched
    Fringed petal edges
    the petals are not fringed
    Hairs on flower stalk
    the flower stalk has no hairs on it
    Inflorescence length
    30–150 mm
    Inflorescence type
    the inflorescence is a panicle (branched with the individual flowers on stalks)
    Length of flower stalk
    0.5–1 mm
    Marks on petals
    there are no noticeable marks on the petals
    Nectar spur
    the flower has no nectar spurs
    Number of carpels
    2–3
    Number of sepals and/or petals
    there are six petals, sepals or tepals in the flower
    Number of styles
    1
    Ovary position
    the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
    Petal appearance
    the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
    Petal fusion
    the perianth parts are separate
    Sepal appearance
    the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
    Sepal length
    0.5–1 mm
    Sepal orientation
    the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the plant
    Sepals fused only to sepals
    the sepals are separate from one another
    Spathe
    the plant does not have a spathe
    Spathe form
    NA
    Spathe length
    0 mm
    Stamen length
    1.5–2 mm
    Stamen number
    6
    Stamen position relative to petals
    NA
    Stamens fused outwards
    the stamens are not fused to the petals or tepals
    Style length
    0.1–0.3 mm
    Style petal-like
    the style is not broad and flattened like a petal
    Tepals
    the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
  • Fruits or seeds

    Berry color
    red
    Capsule ridges
    NA
    Fruit compartments
    there are three locules in the fruit
    Fruit cross-section
    the fruit is round in cross-section
    Fruit length
    4–6 mm
    Fruit type (general)
    the fruit is fleshy
    Fruit type (specific)
    the fruit is a berry (fleshy, with the wall enclosing one or more sections, with two or more seeds)
    Fruit width
    4–6 mm
    Other markings on berry
    the ripe fruits are mostly one color without spots or streaks
  • Glands or sap

    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery
  • Growth form

    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Root septa
    the roots do not have transverse septa
    Underground organs
    • the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
    • there are only slender roots on the plant
  • Leaves

    Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade basal lobes
    the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
    Leaf blade base
    the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
    Leaf blade base shape
    the base of the leaf blade is rounded
    Leaf blade cross-section
    the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
    Leaf blade faces
    both surfaces of the leaf blade are exposed
    Leaf blade form
    Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
    Leaf blade length
    90–170 mm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
    Leaf blade tip
    • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    • the tip of the leaf blade is caudate (has a very long tail-like projection ending in a point)
    Leaf blade veins
    the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
    Leaf blade width
    50–80 mm
    Leaf stalk length
    2–6 mm
    Leaf type
    the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
    Leaflet number
    0
    Stipule twining
    NA
    Stipules
    there are no stipules on this plant
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • forests
    • river or stream floodplains
  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the leaves have no particular smell
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Flowering stem growth form
    the flowering stem is held upright
    Flowering stem leaves
    there is at least one fully-formed leaf on the flowering stem
    Stem hairs
    the stem has hairs on it

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

ssp. racemosum

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

Subspecies and varieties

Our subspecies is Maianthemum racemosum (L.) Link ssp. racemosum.

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

2.  Maianthemum racemosum (L.) Link ssp. racemosum N

feathery false Solomon’s-seal. Convallaria racemosa L.; Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf.; S. racemosa (L.) Desf. var. lanceolata Boivin; Vagnera racemosa (L.) Morong; Unifolium racemosum (L.) Britt. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; throughout. Forests, usually in mesic soils with deciduous overstories, including upland and riparian types.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Maianthemum stellatum:
inflorescence unbranched and tepals 4-6 mm long (vs. M. racemosum, with the inflorescence branched and tepals 0.5-1 mm long).

Synonyms

  • Convallaria racemosa L.
  • Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf.
  • Smilacina racemosa var. lanceolata Boivin
  • Unifolium racemosum (L.) Britt.
  • Vagnera racemosa (L.) Morong

Family

Ruscaceae

Genus

Maianthemum