The Lily-of-the-valley Family
What are they?
This family consists largely of a collection of shade-loving, woodland plants with bell- or star-shaped, white flowers that appear on leafy stems in late spring or early summer. It also includes the lilyturfs, a group of plants that are very popular as ground cover in shady gardens. Flowers are followed by clusters of berries during the summer.
Identification
Plants in this family can first be divided into those with bell-shaped flowers and those wityh star-shaped flowers. Details of the foliage sghould then help to key out the various species from each other.
European Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis var. majalis
The lily-of-the-vallies of Europe and of North America are sometimes considered separate species, but botanists now consider them to be merely forms of the same species. The American Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis var. montana) is not native to Cape May County so any plant found is more likely to be the European form, which is commonly grown as a garden plant. Flowers late April to May. In the American form, the bracts are as long as the flower stalks (the individual stalk of each flower is called a pedicel). Any plants found in the wider countryside are likely to be on roadsides, or close to habitation.
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at base of each pedicel |
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Canada Mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Occurs in a range of damp, shady conditions in both deciduous and coniferous woodland. Sometimes found in more open areas after woodland has been cleared, where it may persist for a number of years. Flowers May to early June. Single leaves often form extensive colonies, with only a few shoots producing flowers each year.
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Feathery False Solomon's-seal Maianthemum racemosum
An uncommon plant of moist woodlands. Flowers May to June. Leaves are similar to the solomon's-seals, but flowers are carried in a terminal cluster, not in the leaf axils.
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Starry False Solomon's-seal Maianthemum stellatum
An uncommon plant of shady places. Flowers May to June. Leaves are noticeably narrower and more upright than other related species.
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Smooth Solomon's-seal Polygonatum biflorum
Not uncommon in woodland and shady hedge bottoms. Flowers May to June. Flowers hang below the leaves, two in each leaf axil.
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Creeping Lilyturf Liriope spicata
Native of eastern Asia and a popular garden plant. Currently recorded from a single locality in Cape May County but has the potential to become an invasive alien. Flowers August to September. Forms creeping mats of grass-like vegetation with leaves less than 6mm wide. Flowers usually pale lilac or pinkish.
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Large Lilyturf Liriope muscari
Native of eastern Asia and a popular garden plant. Currently recorded from a single locality in Cape May County but has the potential to become an invasive alien as plants are often to be found illegally dumped in woods and on roadsides. Flowers August to September. Forms tight clumps of grass-like vegetation with leaves more than 6mm wide. Flowers usually pale purple.
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