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Taxon  Report  
Maianthemum stellatum  (L.) Link
Starry false lily of the valley
Maianthemum stellatum is a perennial herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
also called Smilacina stellata
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Maianthemum
Family: Ruscaceae  
(Liliaceae)
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Monocot
Jepson eFlora section: monocot

Wetlands:
Arid West: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands
Mountains, Valleys and Coast: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Communities: Redwood Forest, Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, wetland-riparian

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:
PLANTSConvallaria stellata
PLANTSSmilacina liliacea
PLANTSSmilacina sessilifolia
PLANTSSmilacina stellata var. crassa
PLANTSSmilacina stellata var. mollis
Information about  Maianthemum stellatum from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (MAST4)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

Introduction to Starry False Lily of the Valley: I always feel lucky when I spot this relative of the east coast Solomon Seal ... A photo essay from PlantID.net. (link added by Bruce Homer-Smith)

[Wikipedia] Similar Species: Maianthemum stellatum is smaller than its close relative M. racemosum. For comparison, M. stellatum has smaller, more open inflorescences that are un-branched and have fewer flowers, flowers with stamens shorter rather than longer than the tepals, and usually somewhat narrower and more curved leaves. Both species show the characteristic zigzag of the stem between the alternate leaves.[10][11] True Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum and related species) have a similar overall appearance,[12] but the flowers hang from the stem underneath the leaves, rather than forming a terminal cluster. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 12/10/2024).