Hairy Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum pubescens)
Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake - A Photo Journal
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"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)
Since 
Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake
Hairy Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum pubescens)
(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 01) The identification of hairy Solomon's seal can be a
little difficult without a magnifying glass to clearly see the minute hairs
growing along the veins on the underside of the leaves. These hairs are
the only distinguishing feature to identify this species from smooth Solomon's
seal, Polygonatum biflorum. The classic arching plume with alternating
elliptical-oval leaves is the main feature that helps identify all Solomon's
seal species.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 01a) The next thing to do in identifying the smooth
Solomon's seal is to look at the end of the stem. If there is a fruit or a
flower cluster, it is a false Solomon's seal. Smooth Solomon's seal looks
like it has a terminal leaf, which moves to the side as additional leaves sprout
from the end of the stem. The next feature to look for is the fruit or
flowers hanging down from the under side of the stem, and which can be seen
between the leaves in this photo.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 02) In this photo we are looking at the fruit growing
under the arched stem of the hairy Solomon's seal. Note that most of the
fruit are growing in dangling pairs. The darker tips of the fruit are the
remains of the flowers.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 03) This is another photo looking up under a hairy
Solomon's seal. We found this particular hairy Solomon's seal very
interesting, because it has single, double, and triple fruit clusters hanging
down under the stem. The vine-like plant running along the stem to the
right of the photo is not part of the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 03a) We have found that the identification of the minute
hairs growing along the veins on the underside of the hairy Solomon's seal
leaves is easier to do when the plant is shaded. All of the leaves in this
photo have these hairs, but they are only visible when viewed at an angle, such
as those on the leaf edge above the vine to the right of the photo, and on the
leaf to the left. To the bottom of the photo, we can see a single and
double clusters of fruit.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 03b) Looking at the top of the photo, we can see the
minute hairs growing along the veins on the underside of the hairy Solomon's
seal leaves. We have observed that single rows of hairs follow the minor
veins. To the lower portion of the photo we have a closer look at the
triple clusters of hairy Solomon's seal fruit.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 04)
In this photo of the hairy Solomon's seal, we are
looking downward at an angle to see the fruit clusters hanging down from the stem.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 05) This is another photo looking up under a hairy
Solomon's seal shortly after the flowers have withered and before he ovaries
have begun to swell.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 05a) In this photo of the hairy Solomon's seal, we can
see how difficult it is to see the minute hairs when the sun is shining on the leaves.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 06) One of the nice things about this photo of the under
side of the hairy Solomon's seal leaves, is that we can clearly see the minor
veining. Note also how few of the minute hairs are visible; most being
blended into the background.
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(Solomon's
Seal, Hairy - 07) This is another look at the withered flowers and
developing fruit hanging down under the stem of a hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 08)
This is another view of the hairy Solomon's seal's developing fruit. This is a
native wildflower species of eastern Canada and the United States, and according
to the USDA, they can be found in the following US states: CT, DE, GA, IA, IL,
IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV,
and in the Canadian provinces of NB, NS, ON, QC.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 08a)
This is a closer look at some of the developing hairy Solomon's seal fruit. This
wild flower can most often be found in shade areas with moist soil in woods and
thickets, but we have also seen them growing along roadsides.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 09)
This is a top view of a patch of hairy Solomon's seal plants that are competing
with other flora of the woodland for available sunlight.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 10)
In this photo we have hairy Solomon's seal growing with woodbine. Our subject
wildflower is easily spotted because of it's arched plume and alternating leaves.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 11)
This is another top view of the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 12)
In this mouse eye's view of the hairy Solomon's seal, we are looking up at the
developing green fruit, which turns blue to black when fully ripe.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 13)
This is another look at the developing unripe fruit of the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 13a)
In this close up view of the hairy Solomon's seal, we have a better look at the
green ripening fruit and the tiny hairs growing along the veins on the underside
of the leaf.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 14)
This is another springtime look at the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 14a)
This is a closer look at the developing hairy Solomon's seal flowers.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 15)
We like the silhouette look of these hairy Solomon's seal flower buds against
the out of focus backdrop of the woods and lake.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 16)
In this photo we can see how the hairy Solomon's seal leaves grow alternately
from the sides of the stem, and that the flower/fruit grow from the leaf axil
(upper junction of the leaf with the stem), and hang down below the stem.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 16a)
This is a closer look at the hairy Solomon's seal flower/fruit growing from the
leaf axil and hanging down below the stem.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 17)
In this photo, we are looking at the underside of the a hairy Solomon's seal
leaf at its junction with the stem. We find it interesting to note that it is
very difficult to see the tiny leaf hairs by looking directly at them, as in the
right side of the photo, but by viewing at an angle as on the left side of the
photo, the hairs become visible.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 18)
In this photo, we are looking up along the stem of the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 19)
This is another top view of the hairy Solomon's seal growing in the woods.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 20)
This is another example of how hard it is to see the tiny hairs along the ribs
and margin on the underside of the leaves of the hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 20a)
Even with higher magnification it is still difficult to see the tiny hairs on
the underside of the hairy Solomon's seal leaves without some contrast, as on
the margin. The only other hint is that the ribs seem to be somewhat out of
focus or fuzzy. We are always amazed by these tiny details that God puts into
His creations.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 21)
This is another look at the flower buds hanging down below the arch of the hairy
Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 22)
We're not sure why these hairy Solomon's seal plants got so twisted up, but we
thought it would make an interesting photo.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 23)
This is another look at this twisted hairy Solomon seal plant.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 24)
These are some hairy Solomon's seal that are blowing in the wind, which allows
us to also see the underside and flower buds.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 24a)
This is a closer look at some of the hairy Solomon's seal flower buds hanging
down under the leaf plume.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 25)
This is a patch of hairy Solomon's seal growing off the side of the road on the
edge of the woods.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 26)
This is another look at the wind-blown hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 27)
This is another look at the patch of hairy Solomon's seal.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 28)
This is a close up side view of a couple of hairy Solomon's seal flowers.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 29)
This is another look at some of the hairy Solomon's seal flowers.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 29a)
This is a close up side view of a cluster of 3 hairy Solomon's seal flowers.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 30)
This is another look at the hairy Solomon's seal flowers hanging down below the
stem and leaves.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 31)
In this photo of hairy Solomon's seal, we can see the flower clusters hanging
down from the leaf axils of two plants.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 32)
This is another view of the hairy Solomon's seal plants.
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(Solomon's Seal, Hairy - 32a)
This is a closer look at some of the hairy Solomon's seal flower clusters.
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| Wild Flowers of SHL: Photo Identification, Common Name, Scientific Name | Art and Photos |
Presented here are just a few of the countless components of God's creation.
Just as we cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither
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please contact:
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