Canada mayflower

(Maianthemum canadense)

Conservation Status
Canada mayflower
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FAC - Facultative

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Canada mayflower is a 4 to 10 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on a single stem from a spreading, thread-like rhizome. The rhizome is ¾ to 12 long and 1 32 to 1 16 wide.

Separate sterile and fertile stems are produced.

Sterile stems are short and have a single basal leaf. Fertile stems have usually 2, sometimes 3 leaves. They are erect, zigzagged, unbranched, round in cross section, hairless, 4 to 7 tall, and 1 32 to in diameter.

The basal leaf (on a sterile stem) is held parallel to the ground at maturity in a leaf stalk (petiole) that is up to 2 long. The blade is egg-shaped, 1¾ to 3¼ long, and 1¼ to 2¼ wide. It is deeply heart-shaped with narrow sinuses at the base and tapers to a point at the tip with straight sides along the tip. Sometimes there is a short, tail-like appendage at the tip. There are usually 3, sometimes 5, conspicuous, recessed, parallel veins. The upper surface is medium green and hairless. The lower surface is pale green and hairless or finely hairy. The margins are untoothed and sometimes have a fringe of fine hairs.

Leaves on the fertile stem are alternate. The lowest leaf is stalkless but otherwise similar to the basal leaf on a sterile stem. The uppermost leaf is on a short, 1 32 to ¼ long petiole and is often much narrower.

The inflorescence is a plume-like, unbranched cluster (raceme) of 12 to 24 tiny flowers at the end of the stem. The raceme is cylinder-shaped, erect, and ¾ to 2 long. There are usually 2 flowers, sometimes 1 or 3, at each node of the raceme.

Each flower is star-shaped and about wide. There are 2 petals, 2 similar, petal-like sepals (4 tepals), and 4 stamens. The tepals are conspicuous, white, 1 32to 116 long, and 1 32to wide. The stamens have white filaments and yellow anthers. They are 1 32 to 116 long and protrude well beyond the petals.

The fruit is a globular, to ¼ in diameter berry with 1 or 2 seeds. It is initially green mottled with red, becoming deep translucent red when ripe.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

4 to 10

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist. Deciduous and coniferous forests. Dappled sunlight to dense shade.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

May to June

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  3/16/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Liliopsida (monocots)  
 

Order

Asparagales (agaves, orchids, irises, and allies)  
 

Family

Asparagaceae (agave and allies)  
  Subfamily Nolinoideae (dragon tree)  
  Tribe Polygonateae (true and false Solomon‘s seals)  
 

Genus

Maianthemum (mayflowers and false Solomon‘s seals)  
  Section Maianthemum (mayflowers)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Two varieties of Canada mayflower have been described. Plants in the eastern half of its range have a hairless lower leaf surface and a hairless margin. Plants in the west have larger leaves with a finely hairy lower leaf surface and a fringe of fine hairs on the leaf margin. Some taxonomists distinguish the latter as Maianthemum canadense var. interius, and the former as Maianthemum canadense var. canadense. Most taxonomists do not recognize any varieties.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Maianthemum canadense var. interius

Maianthemum canadense var. pubescens

Maianthenum canadense

Unifolium canadense

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Canada bead-ruby

Canada may-lily

Canada mayflower

false lily-of-the-Valley

two-leaf Solomon’s seal

two-leaf-Solomon’s-seal

twoleaved Solomonseal

wild lily-of-the-Valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Filament

On plants: The thread-like stalk of a stamen which supports the anther. On Lepidoptera: One of a pair of long, thin, fleshy extensions extending from the thorax, and sometimes also from the abdomen, of a caterpillar.

 

Node

The small swelling of the stem from which one or more leaves, branches, or buds originate.

 

Petiole

On plants: The stalk of a leaf blade or a compound leaf that attaches it to the stem. On ants and wasps: The constricted first one or two segments of the rear part of the body.

 

Raceme

An unbranched, elongated inflorescence with stalked flowers. The flowers mature from the bottom up.

 

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 

Sepal

An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.

 

Tepal

Refers to both the petals and the sepals of a flower when they are similar in appearance and difficult to tell apart. Tepals are common in lilies and tulips.

 
 
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Luciearl

 
    Canada mayflower      
           
    Canada mayflower   Canada mayflower  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Habitat

 
    Canada mayflower      
           
 

Sterile Shoots

 
    Canada mayflower   Canada mayflower  
           
 

Fertile Shoots

 
    Canada mayflower   Canada mayflower  
           
    Canada mayflower   Canada mayflower  
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    Canada mayflower   Canada mayflower  
           
 

Fruiting Plant

 
    Canada mayflower      
           
 

Fruit

 
    Canada mayflower      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)
Andree Reno Sanborn
 
  Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)  
  Maianthemum canadense (Canada Mayflower)
Allen Chartier
 
  Maianthemum canadense (Canada Mayflower)  

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Maianthemum canadense
newenglandwild
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 20, 2012

New England Wild Flower Society Stockbed Grower Dan Jaffe talks about one of his favorite plants - Maianthemum canadense.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Luciearl
9/21/2023

Location: Cass County

Canada mayflower  
  Luciearl
9/28/2020

Location: Cass County

Canada mayflower  
  Luciearl
5/24/2020

Location: Fairview Twp, Cass County

Canada mayflower  
           
 
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