A study of the rhizome systems of Smilacina stellata.

Abstract

Smilacina stellata (L.), one of three species in the Liliaceae commonly known as False-Solomon's Seal, is a common plant in the northern United States and adjacent parts of Canada along with upland areas further south. It is usually found in moist sandy soils of woods, shores and prairies (Gleason and Cronquist, 1963). In northern Michigan, the shores of the Great Lakes and inland lakes provide an ideal habitat for S. stellata (Voss, 1972). This plant grows in a range of habitats and often becomes dominant where it is established by what appear to be clonal rhizome systems. Phenotypic variation has sparked interest in this plant in the past (Clements, et al., 1950; Crispin, 1976). In this study, I looked at the growth pattern and morphological variation, probably environmentally based, of S. stellata's rhizome systems at two locations.