Smilacina racemosa – false Solomon’s seal
Common Name
false Solomon’s seal
Family
Asparagaceae
Scientific Name
Smilacina racemosa
Alternate Scientific Name
- Maianthemum racemosum
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Moderately Dry (MD)
- Medium (M)
- Wet (W)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Medium (M)
- Rich (R)
Video link
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Perrenial Herb
- Grows in moist forests, streambanks and meadows
- Low to subalpine elevations
- Very widespread, found in every Canadian province
Key Identifying Characteristics
- Form: Grows erect or arched up to 1 m tall, unbranched
- Leaves: Large, elliptical with a point, 7-20 cm long, alternate, set pointing somewhat forward, with strong parallel veins as typical of monocots
- Flowers: White, small, numerous borne in showy branched or pyramid-shaped terminal cluster
- Fruit: Many red and sometimes mottled purple berries in showy cluster, edible but not palatable
Lookalikes
- When young, resembles Veratrum viride (Indian hellebore), one of the most deadly-poisonous plants in our region
- Can be very easily confused with a number of similar lilies when non-reproductive, including:
- Maianthemum stellata (star-flowered false Solomon’s seal) - much smaller and with leaves set at distinct right angles
- Streptopus amplexifolius (clasping twisted stalk) – branched and with distinctly clasping leaves
- Streptopus roseus (rosy twisted stalk) – leaf margin/edge with hairs
- Disporum hookeri (Hooker’s fairybells) – branched and hairy leaves
- If there are flowers, look for terminal cluster of more than 10 flowers to positively ID Maianthemum racemosum
Interesting Characteristics
- Roots eaten and boiled into tea by various coastal peoples
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.