Southern Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf.
- Family: Lily (Liliaceae)
- Flowering: April-June
- Field Marks: This species has white flowers in a terminal raceme and red berries.
- Habitat: Rich shady woods.
- Habit: Perennial herb with thickened rhizomes.
- Stems: Upright or arching, unbranched, smooth or finely hairy, up to 3 feet tall.
- Leaves: Alternate, oval to lanceolate, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, usually finely hairy on the lower surface, without teeth but often ciliate, up to 6 inches long, up to 3 inches wide.
- Flowers: Several in a terminal panicle; each flower up to 1/6 inch across, short-stalked.
- Perianth: 6 segments, free from each other, white.
- Stamens: 6, attached to the base of the perianth segments.
- Pistils: Ovary superior; stigma 3-parted.
- Fruits: Berries red, spherical, up to 1/4 inch in diameter.
- Notes: This species is also known as false spikenard.
Previous Species -- Eastern Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium atlanticum)
Return to Species List -- Group 4
Next Species -- American Burreed (Sparganium americanum)
