Maianthemum

Maianthemum (including former Smilacina) is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Ruscaceae, native to North America, Central America, northern Europe, northern and eastern Asia, and the Himalaya. The name derives from Latin for "May flower".

They are rhizomatous understory herbaceous plants. The flowers have six tepals, reduced to four in M. canadense, M. bifolium and M. dilatatum.

Because of genetic similarity, similar fruits, and evidence that the 4-tepal species evolved from a 6-tepal species, the genus Smilacina was combined with Maianthemum in the late 20th century. Smilacina was formerly included in the family Liliaceae.

Selected species
Maianthemum atropurpureum
Maianthemum bifolium May Lily
Maianthemum canadense False Lily-of-the-valley
Maianthemum dahuricum
Maianthemum dilatatum Snakeberry, Wild Lilly of the Valley
Maianthemum forrestii
Maianthemum formosanum
Maianthemum fusciduliflorum
Maianthemum fuscum
Maianthemum gongshanense
Maianthemum henryi
Maianthemum japonicum
Maianthemum lichiangense
Maianthemum nanchuanense
Maianthemum oleraceum
Maianthemum purpureum
Maianthemum racemosum False Solomon's-seal
Maianthemum stellatum Starry Solomon's-seal
Maianthemum stenolobum
Maianthemum szechuanicum
Maianthemum tatsienense
Maianthemum trifolium Three-leaf Solomon's-seal, False mayflower
Maianthemum tubiferum

Translation

The word "Maianthemum" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese.

Translation(s) in other languages: Czech: Pstroček, German: Schattenblumen, Upper Sorbian: Pstruhačk, Lithuanian: Medutė, Polish: Konwalijka, Swedish: Ekorrbärssläktet.