Small False Solomon's Seal, Star-flowered False Solomon Seal, Starry False Lily-of-the-valley, Starry False Solomon's Seal, Starry Solomon Plume: Maianthemum stellatum (Synonyms: Convallaria stellata, Smilacina liliacea, Smilacina sessilifolia, Smilacina stellata, Unifolium liliaceum, Unifolium sessilifolium, Unifolium stellatum, Vagnera liliacea, Vagnera sessilifolia, Vagnera stellata)

Star-flowered false Solomon seal is an attractive perennial wildflower suitable for the woodland garden. It spreads extensively via rhizomes which send up flowering stems from 20-60 cm high. The erect stems range from straight to zigzag. The leaves lack stems and extend outwards perpendicular from the stem or ascend, sometimes close to the stem. The blades are lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or elliptic in shape, tapering gradually to a point. The venation is parallel and the upper surface generally lacks hairs, the lower surface may be hairless or may be fairly heavily pubescent. The blades measure 5-17 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide.

The inflorescence is a few-flowered raceme of from 5-10 flowers. The stem of the raceme often zigzags and the raceme measures from 3-6 cm long. The flowers are white with 6 tepals which are narrowly oblong or lanceolate in shape and measure from 4-7 mm long and 1-2 mm wide. The stamens range from 8-14 mm long. The fruit is a greenish-yellow berry which is globose in shape and measures from 7-10 mm wide. The berry may have reddish stripes as illustrated by the photo below.

Star-flowered false Solomon seal may be found in moist shaded woods, along streambanks, and on well-drained hillsides in clearings at medium to high elevation.

Star-flowered false Solomon seal may be found from Alaska south to California and east to the Rocky Mountains. It is also found along the Atlantic coast.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 100'-4400' from the Sandy River east to the White Salmon River.

The photo above shows a close-up of the inflorescence and upper leaves of star-flowered false Solomons seal as seen on the trail from Angel's Rest to Devils Rest in the Columbia River Gorge........May 12, 2005.

The photo at left shows the fruits of star-flowered false solomon seal, photographed along the North Fork of the Sun River, Montana...........August 4, 2000. The photo at right shows the fruits of star-flowered false solomon seal along the equestrian trails at Beacon Rock State Park, Columbia River Gorge........September 23, 2017.

Examples of star-flowered false solomon seal blooming in a moist riparian meadow at Horsethief Butte in the eastern Columbia River Gorge........May 10, 2009.

Several photos showing the mature fruits of star-flowered false solomon seal at the junction of the Hardy Creek and Bridge Trails, Beacon Rock State Park.....October 20, 2023.

Star-flowered false solomon seal in bud along the Grassy Knoll Trail #146 about one-half mile east of Grassy Knoll, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.........May 15, 2015.