False Solomon’s Seal is a popular shade-loving forest plant. It is easy to recognize and lovely to behold. Even more delicate is Star-Flowered False Solomon’s Seal which is equally as easy to recognize but the two are often confused with each other. This section will attempt to clear up the confusion enabling you to easily distinguish between the two species and find additional information on them as desired.
First to address their names as this presented a degree of personal confusion on the part of this author. Traditional sources list both species in the lily family (Liliaceae) giving false Solomon’s seal the scientific name of Smilacina racemosa and star-flowered false Solomon’s seal the name of S. stellata. More recent sources may list them in a newer plant family called Convallariaceae as Maianthemum racemosum and M. stellatum respectively. This author chooses to refer to them as in the lily family and uses those names in all writings. Additionally, other common names used for these plants include feathery false lily of the valley or false spikenard (S. racemosa) and starry false lily of the valley (S. stellata).
The species name of stellata and stellatum both accurately describe star-flowered false Solomon’s seal’s flowers. But the species name of racemosa and racemosum are a bit misleading in a botanical sense because false Solomon’s seal (S. racemosa) displays inflorescense in the form of a panicle (branched cluster of flowers) while the star-flowered species (S. stellata) displays an inflorescense in the form of a raceme (unbranched cluster of flowers). This has led some people to misidentify false Solomon’s seal as the starry species.
FLOWERS
To clarify: S. racemosa blooms in a panicle (branched); S. stellata blooms in a raceme (unbranched).
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| Star-Flowered False Solomon's Seal Smilacina stellata |
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| False Solomon's Seal Smilacina racemosa |
The individual flowers are very different as well. Both are white to creamy but False Solomon’s seal displays many (more than 10) fuzzy looking flowers. Even if you do not notice the branched inflorescense or are not sure about it, count those flowers. Star-flowered false Solomon’s seal has only 5-10 flowers (and no more) that are not fuzzy but star-like. It may only have a couple of flowers when you see S. stellata but S. racemosa always shows tight clusters with many flowers. Observe the photos above.
Flowers are not always present and should never be the only features used in identifying any plant. These two particular species differ in almost every way at least enough to tell them apart easily. Consider the size of the plant and the differences in their leaves.
LEAVES
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| Star-Flowered False Solomon's Seal Smilacina stellata |
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| False Solomon's Seal Smilacina racemosa |
S. racemosa grows up to about a meter tall (3’ 3”) while S. stellata grows no larger than 60 cm (almost 2’). The leaves have the same venation in both species and both clasp the stem but they differ in size and shape: S. racemosa’s are large, broad and elliptical. The leaves of S. stellata are narrow and lance-shaped coming to a sharp point at the tip. Also there always seems to be one leaf on S. stellata that points straight out on the end. Perhaps it is because there is more room for it given the smaller inflorescence. S. racemosa’s leaves always splay out to the sides.
FRUIT
The fruit of S. racemosa is a red berry sometimes dotted with purple. The fruit of S. stellata is green with reddish-purple stripes maturing to a dark blue or reddish-black. Both are edible but not often preferred.
ROOT
It may not be appropriate to observe the root system of these plants when discovered in a park but if chosen for gardening the opportunity is more likely to present itself. Both plants grow from rhizomes but that of S. racemosa is stout, fleshy rhizome while that of S. stellata is slender, pale.
HABITAT
Living conditions for both plants are so similar they can occasionally be found growing near each other. S. racemosa can be spotted on roadside slopes when in bloom while S. stellata thrives in shadier woods. They bloom simultaneously but S. racemosa is the one most noticed because it is larger and more conspicuous than S. stellata.
Resources used for researching this plant include Flora of the Pacific Northwest by Hitchcock & Conquist as well as USDA PLANTS and Plants for a Future. Please contact me if you find any mistakes in my information or have any question.
