False Solomon's Seal

False Solomon's Seal - tammi miller

Smilacina racemosa

General:  Perennial from stout, fleshy rhizomes; stems erect or *usually) stiffly arched, 0.3-1.0 m tall, unbranched, finely hairy above, often growing in clumps.

Leaves: Broad, elliptical, 7-20 cm long, alternating among the stem in 2 rows, with strong parallel veins and somewhat clasping bases; margins without hairs.

Flowers:  Creamy white, small, numerous, stalks very short; in branched, egg- or pyramid-shaped terminal cluster, strongly perfumed and showy en masse.

Fruits: Red (sometimes dotted with purple), fleshy, round berries, showy, 5-7 mm across.

Ecology: Moist forest, streambanks, meadows and clearings; widespread at low to subalpine elevations.

Notes:  The berries of false Solomon's seal are edible, but not especially palatable.