| Maianthemum | |
|---|---|
| Maianthemum racemosum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| clade: | Angiosperms |
| clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Nolinoideae |
| Genus: | Maianthemum F.H.Wigg. |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Smilacina (Desf.) |
|
Maianthemum (Latin Māia "May" and Greek ánthemon "flower"; including former Smilacina) is a genus of about 30 species of rhizomatous herbaceous plants native to the understory of woodlands in North and Central America, northern Europe, northern and eastern Asia, and the Himalayas. In the APG III classification system, it is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae).[1]
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.[2]
Like many lilioid monocots, both Maianthemum and Smilacina were formerly included in the family Liliaceae. The genus has also been placed in the former family Convallariaceae.
Species include:
|
|