Flower:

Spike-like raceme 1 to 4 inches long of up to 20 stalked white flowers. Each flower is about 3/8 inch across, has 6 tepals (petals) and 6 stamens with pale yellow or cream colored tips.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are up to 6 inches long and 2 inches across, generally elliptical tapering to a point at the tip, toothless, finely hairy on the underside, with prominent parallel veins and often folded some lengthwise. The base of the leaf clasps the stem. The stem slightly zig-zags between the alternately attached leaves and may be hairless or finely hairy. The plant does not grow upright, but tilts to one side and arcs a bit at the top.

Fruit:

Each flower is replaced by a berry, about ¼ inch in diameter. Berries are initially green with purple stripes and ripen to solid reddish-purple.

Notes:

Just looking at the leaves, Smooth Solomon's Seal, False Solomon's Seal, and Starry False Solomon's Seal are all similar. False Solomon's Seal prefers shadier habitats, has more, smaller flowers, plus its leaves do not clasp the stem and are wider than Starry False Solomon's Seal. Smooth Solomon's Seal has racemes of flowers on the underside of the arcing stem, rather than a cluster at the end. Starry False Solomon's Seal often goes by Latin name Smilacina stellata but the accepted name in Minnesota is Maianthemum stellatum. Formerly in the Liliaceae (Lily) family, all Maianthemum species have been reassigned to Ruscaceae (Butcher's Broom).