Convallaria majalis L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Asparagaceae

• Scientific Name

  Convallaria majalis L.

• Description

  Species Description - Lvs narrowly elliptic, to 2 dm, acuminate; scape 1–2 dm; raceme loose, secund; bracts small, lanceolate; pedicels drooping; fls white, fragrant, 6–9 mm; fr (seldom produced) red, 1 cm; 2n=38. Widespread in n. Eurasia, commonly cult. and escaped near gardens; also in rich mt. woods of Va., W.Va., N.C., and Tenn. May. The S. Appalachian plants, seemingly native, are only loosely colonial and are said to differ in other minor ways from the more densely colonial cult. and casually escaped plants.

• Discussion

  Sometimes treated as a distinct sp. under the name C. montana Raf. or C. majuscula Greene, they may reflect an early escape of a different phase of the sp. from cult.