Star-Flowered Solomon’s-Seal

Featured
Smilacina stellata
Smilacina stellata

Star-flowered Solomon’s-seal. Photo by Penny Dodd.

Ethnobotany

Typical of the lily family, the leaves of this plant have many parallel veins. They clasp onto opposite sides of the 15–50 cm tall stems. At the tip of the stem, small white flowers appear in a loose cluster. Each flower has six petals, and when the fruit first develops, it is a green berry with six purplish-black stripes.

Royer and Dickinson report that First Nations people gathered and dried the roots in the fall, then ground them into a powder that was applied to wounds to stop bleeding. (123) However, according to Wilkinson, it was a related plant, Smilacina racemosa, false Solomon’s-seal, that was used by the Blackfoot and the Blood—the roots as a wound dressing and the berries to induce abortion. (25)

Botany

To be added soon. 

References

  • Royer, France and Richard Dickinson. 2007. Plants of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing, AB. 

  • Wilkinson, Kathleen. 1999. Wildflowers of Alberta: A Guide to Common Wildflowers and Other Herbaceous Plants. University of Alberta Press and Lone Pine Publishing, AB.

Wildflower 2Penny Dodd and Marion JankunisGalt Museum & ArchivesComment