Popular Studies of California Wild Floivers 97 



False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina amplexicaulis) 



By Roland Rice 



The False Solomon's Seal grows best in the cool woods of the 

 mountain slopes, where its fine green leaves and plumed flower 

 head are often found. The tiny flowers have a most elusive, pleas- 

 ant perfume, and the graceful green leaves, set alternately on the 

 zigzaggy slem, are very decorative and beautiful. The flowers are 

 cream white in color and form a fitting termination to the leafy 

 stalk, which is usually about two feet tall. 



There are three varieties of Smilacina to be found in the State. 

 They grow in very rich soil, sometimes so thick they hide the ground 

 from view. The Star Flowered .Solomon's Seal (Smilacina sessili- 

 folia) has few flowers, but larger, star-shaped, cream white, on the 

 angled stem, and is found in the shady woods of the Coast Range 

 mountains. The False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina amplexicaulis) 

 is found in the same range and also in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

 One that is found only in the vicinity of the Truckee River is Smila- 

 cina stellata. The False Solomon's Seal is the most common of 

 these plants. They belong to the Lily family, and bloom in the early 

 spring from March until late in May or June. 



The reason why these plants are called False Solomon's Seal 

 is not quite plain. It is said that the true Solomon's Seal has a 

 mark upon its roots like the imprint of a seal upon wax, and that 

 this mark is lacking upon the other plants. 



We may suspect that Gerard, Parkinson and other old herbalists 

 were responsible for* the plant's name, for they passed it down with 

 some quaint notes as to its virtues. It seems that they claimed the 

 wisdom of Solomon, who, it is said, wrote a flora which embraced 

 all the plants from Cedars to Hyssop, dealing probably with the 

 healing virtues of the plants. Gerard, of the sixteenth century, says 

 of the Solomon's Seal : 



"The roots are excellent good for to scale or close up green 

 wounds, being stamped and laid thereon ; wherefore it is called 

 Sigillum Solomonis, of the singular vertue that it hath in sealing or 

 healing up wounds, broken bones, and such like. The root of Sol- 

 omon's Scale, stamped while it is fresh, and greene and applied, 

 taketh away in one night, or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or" 

 blew spots gotten by falls or woman's willfulness in stumbling upon 

 their hasty husband's fists. That which might be written of this 

 herbe as touching the knitting of bones, and that truly, woulde 

 seeme unto some incredible; but common experience teacheth that 

 in the worlde there is not to be found another herbe comparable 

 to it for the purposes aforesaid." 



We do not know whether our "False Solomon's Seal" has any 

 of the virtues of the humorous old herbalist's excellent "herbe." 

 But it seems wrong to call our charming plant "false." For this 

 graceful flower in the spring is quite beautiful enough to deserve 

 a name of its own. In the fall of the year, perhaps, we may find 

 a few of their pretty berries which the birds and the chipmunks have 

 not as yet taken. 



