Astragalus gilviflorus

Maianthemum stellatum

Star-Flowered Solomon's-Seal

Inflorescence, Flowers Removed

Centre Block, Cypress Hills
17-June-2008

The flowers have been removed in order to illustrate the inflorescence is a raceme, not a panicle.

Stellatum: Answers to key questions leading to this species, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key.

Rhizomes at most 4.5 mm wide; inflorescence a raceme with one or more flowers attached at each node on the rachis; flowers fewer than 70; pedicels equal to or longer than the flowers; filaments narrow, not tepal-like; plants smaller, less than 40 (50) cm high. NOT [Rhizomes 5-8 (14) mm wide; inflorescence a dense panicle, pyramidal in shape when the lower branches well-developed; flowers numerous, 70 to over 200; pedicels much shorter than the flowers; filaments wide, tepal-like; plants large, to 125 cm high.]

Flowers 3-merous (tepals 6, stamens 6), attached singly to the rachis; leaf blades ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, tapered at the base, not extending horizontally from the stem, sessile, lacking petioles. NOT [Flowers 2-merous (tepals 4, stamens 4), attached to the rachis in groups of 1-4; leaf blades ovate, cordate at base, extending horizontally or nearly so from the stem, sessile or with petioles 1-7 mm long.]

Plants generally over 15 cm high; leaves (4) 5-12, finely pubescent below; rhizome 3 mm wide or wider with roots attached along its length; anthers pale; immature fruits 6 striped longitudinally. NOT [Plants less than 20 cm high; leaves 2-4, glabrous below; rhizome 1-2 mm wide with roots attached only at nodes; anthers often purple; immature fruits mottled or spotted but not striped.]

Maianthemum: Answers to key questions leading to this genus, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key.

Flowers terminal, either single or grouped in an umbel, raceme or panicle. NOT [Flowers axillary, suspended on delicate stalks from leaf axils, either singly or in few-flowered clusters (leaves small and scale-like in Asparagus).]

Flowers several-to-many in an umbel, raceme or panicle. NOT [Flowers single (occasionally Hypoxis has a single flower but it is unique in having an inferior ovary).]

Inflorescence a raceme or panicle. NOT [Inflorescence an umbel.]

Leaves cauline, sessile or nearly so; blades lanceolate, elliptic or ovate; fruit a berry. NOT [Leaves basal or subbasal; blades narrow, grass-like; fruit a capsule.]

Liliaceae: Answers to key questions leading to this family, from Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton.

Ovary positioned above the attachment point of the other flower parts (ovary superior) or with the other parts attached partway up the ovary wall (ovary partly inferior) or, if ovary positioned below the attachment point (ovary inferior), then stamen number 6 (Hypoxis); stamens 3 or 6 (rarely 4); fruit a capsule or berry. NOT [Ovary positioned below the attachment point of the other flower parts (ovary inferior); stamens 1-3; fruit a capsule.]