Maianthemum trifolium

(L.) Sloboda

Three-leaf Solomon's-plume

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.137069
Element CodePMLIL1D050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusMaianthemum
Synonyms
Smilacina trifolia(L.) Desf.
Other Common Names
Smilacine trifoliée (FR) threeleaf false lily of the valley (EN) Threeleaf False Lily-of-the-Valley (EN) Threeleaf False Solomon's Seal (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-08-14
Change Date1984-09-06
Edition Date2024-08-14
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Maianthemum trifolium is a wide-ranging perennial herb occurring in northern North America throughout Canada and in the northeastern United States from Maine south to New Jersey and west to Minnesota, and northeastern Asia. Threats include development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, recreational activities, succession, hydrological alteration, invasive species, and deer browsing. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Maianthemum trifolium occurs in northern North America throughout Canada and in the northeastern United States from Maine south to New Jersey and west to Minnesota, and northeastern Asia (FNA 2002).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 1,500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, recreational activities, succession, hydrological alteration, invasive species, deer browsing, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Maianthemum trifolium often forms dense clonal patches in sphagnum bogs, fens, muskegs, and wet and swamp forests (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
SaskatchewanS4Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
QuebecS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
LabradorS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
NunavutS3Yes
OntarioS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New YorkS5Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
Rhode IslandS1Yes
MassachusettsS3Yes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
OhioSXYes
New JerseyS1Yes
VermontS4Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
ConnecticutS2Yes
MaineSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (11)
Minnesota (3)
AreaForestAcres
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
New Hampshire (6)
AreaForestAcres
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
Wisconsin (2)
AreaForestAcres
09161 - Gates LakeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,255
09162 - MooseChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest6,161
References (8)
  1. Dodds, J.S. 2025. <i>Maianthemum trifolium</i> Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, Forests & Natural Lands, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 17 pp. [https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/parksandforests/maianthemum-trifolium-three-leaf-false-solomons-seal.pdf]
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  4. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  8. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.