Plant ID????

[Bulldawg]

I can see now that I am going to have to buy my daughter a plant ID guide. But in the mean time, can anyone help me identify these for her. These were on the North face of Tray this past Labor Day. BTW, we were hiking in and above the low clouds blown in by the outer bands of Hurricane Gustav.

[Turtle2]

How tall was the first plant? If it was 1-2 ft tall, it might be a Solomon's Seal going to seed. Just for information, Solomon's Seal has flowers at each of the bracts. False Solomon's Seal has the same (similar) shaped leaves but with a stalk of flowers at the end. I'll do some more checking.

[Jan LiteShoe]

#1 looks like Solomon's Seal to me too.
Second looks familiar but I don't know the name.

[Skidsteer]

Looks like Solomon's Seal.

[Bulldawg]

Looks like Solomon's Seal.

That's it Skids, Jan, and Turtle. Now what is that second one? They were EVERYWHERE up there Monday.

[Groucho]

That's it Skids, Jan, and Turtle. Now what is that second one? They were EVERYWHERE up there Monday.

Could be false solomon's seal.

[Two Speed]

Nope. Turtle2 was exactly correct.

Bulldawg, you need to take some of those classes I've been telling you about.

[Groucho]

Nope. Turtle2 was exactly correct.

Bulldawg, you need to take some of those classes I've been telling you about.

Plant #2; plant #1 is Solomon's Seal.

[tatersalad]

This is cool, saw a ton of Solomon's seal Labor day on Rabun Bald. Lot's of Indian cucumber as well.

[Bob S]

The only thing I worry about for plant ID is if it’s poison ivy or oak. Other then that I don’t care. I learned what they look like in all seasons years ago.

[Two Speed]

Plant #2; plant #1 is Solomon's Seal.

Plant #2 is not either kind of Solomon's Seal.

Scratch that. Depending on perspective #2 could be false Solomon's Seal. Never seen red berries on false Solomon's Seal, though.

[Groucho]

Plant #2 is not either kind of Solomon's Seal.

Scratch that. Depending on perspective #2 could be false Solomon's Seal. Never seen red berries on false Solomon's Seal, though.

FSS has mottled red berries: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/GO-NAT...84&PhotoID=520

[Two Speed]

Yeah, saw that in another article, but haven't ever noticed false Solomon's Seal with red berries in Georgia. Gonna have to look around now, and see if I've been missing something.

[adventurousmtnlvr]

Solomon’s sealplant

Main

any plant of the genus Polygonatum of the family Ruscaceae, consisting of about 25 species of herbaceous perennials with thick, creeping underground stems and tall, drooping stems, distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The plants are particularly common in the eastern United States and Canada. They flourish in damp, wooded areas and in thickets. In the leaf [COLOR=#009900 ! important][COLOR=#009900 ! important]axils[/COLOR][/COLOR] of the plants are clusters of white or greenish white flowers, which are followed by [COLOR=#009900 ! important][COLOR=#009900 ! important]red [COLOR=#009900 ! important]berries[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. The leaves form two rows along the upper part of the stem. Similar plants of the genus Smilacina, known as false Solomon’s seal, bear their flower clusters at the tips of the stems.
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[adventurousmtnlvr]

lol, that didn't paste right sorry ... the 2nd part about COLOR says "followed by RED BERRIES"

[Tha Wookie]

The tell tale for false solomons seal is a zig-zagging at the meristem nodes

[Two Speed]

The tell tale for false solomons seal is a zig-zagging at the meristem nodes

Okey dokey, got me with that one. What's a "meristem node" and where would I find that? Stem, tuber, leaves?

Next, I thought the anthers were definitive; if it has them along the length of the stem it's Solomon's Seal, if they're on the end of the stem it's false Solomon's Seal. Correct?

[Bulldawg]

OK, I am satisfied the first plant is soloman's seal. The second plant is the one I am wondering about now. Well really my daughter is wondering about, I don't really care so long as it isn't poison oak, etc.

[Bulldawg]

FSS has mottled red berries: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/GO-NAT...84&PhotoID=520

I don't think so, this plant was very close to the ground. Like 6-10 inches in height.

[Two Speed]

Some plants are just atypical; not all of them will reach 3'. Also depends on injury to the plant, suitability of the soil, water, etc.

Personally I've never seen false Solomon's Seal with red berries, but I have run across a couple of sources that say that's the case. Gonna have to look and see what I find before I come down real hard one way or another.