BLACK OR DARK PURPLE 157 



HAIRY SOLOMON'S SEAL 

 Polygonatum biflorum Lily-of-the- Valley Family 



Fruit. The berry is nearly black, with a 

 bloom. It is pulpy, three-celled, with one or 

 two seeds in each cell. The stigma is at the 

 summit. The berries grow on slender, drooping 

 stems from the axils, and are solitary, or two in 

 a cluster, rarely three. August, September. 



Leaves. The light green leaves are oblong- 

 ovate, alternate, and sessile. They are parallel- 

 ridged and acute at the apex. The under 

 surface is whiter and hairy. 



Flowers. The pale green flowers look like 

 tassels hanging in drooping clusters of from one 

 to three flowers from the leaf axils. May. 



The scars left on the thick horizontal root- 

 stocks, where the stalks of preceding years grew, 

 give rise to this plant's common name, Solo- 

 mon's Seal. These marks, which are indicative 

 of the age of the root, are somewhat like the 

 impression of a wax seal. This is a graceful, 

 low, wood plant, with a curving stem and droop- 

 ing flower and fruit clusters. 



