VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Maianthemum stellatum | Starry Solomon's Seal 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Starry Solomon's seal fruits and leaves are eaten by grizzly bears
foraging in avalanche chutes and stream bottoms in northern Montana and
southern British Columbia [17].  In northern Idaho, elk consume the
leaves of starry Solomon's seal in summer, and ruffed grouse eat the
berries in the fall [10,11].


PALATABILITY : 
Palatability of starry Solomon's seal is rated fair to poor.  Piper [22]
found no frugivory of green fruits of starry Solomon's seal, suggesting
toxicity or unpalatability of unripe pericarps protecting the immature
seeds.  In livestock palatability ratings for the Intermountain West
starry Solomon's seal was listed as "poor" for cattle and horses, and
"fair" for sheep [6].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Nutritional data of starry Solomon's seal fruits from the Rainbow Creek
Research Natural Area, southeast Washington, are as follows* [21]:

                            Mean       Standard Error
                           ------      --------------
Protein                     2.860          0.03
Lipid                       1.040          0.09
Neutral Detergent Fiber     7.320          0.12
Ash                         3.500          0.06
Calcium                     0.079          ----
Magnesium                   0.049          ----
Phosphorus                  0.225          ----
Potassium                   1.421          ----

* All values are percentages based on dry-pulp masses.

Concentrations of nutrient elements in starry Solomon's seal rhizomes
sampled in late summer from the Cascade Mountain Range, Oregon and
Washington, are as follows [33]:

                           Mean
                          ------
Nitrogen (%)               0.61
Phosphorus (%)             0.31
Potassium (%)              1.51
Calcium (%)                0.19
Magnesium (%)              0.08
Manganese (mg/kg)         46.00
Iron (mg/kg)             102.00
Zinc (mg/kg)              32.00
Molybdenum (mg/kg)         0.05


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Starry Solomon's seal is considered to have low to medium revegetation
value [6].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The Nuxalk Indians of British Columbia collected the ripe berries from
starry Solomon's seal from July to August for food [15].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Management of starry Solomon's seal is indirect.  This forb generally
occurs individually or in small clusters distributed over a short
distance.  Overstory management techniques that can damage the ground
surface should be limited to seasons of least potential impact; e.g.
winter timber harvesting.  Harvesting should be restricted to
rubber-tire vehicles and aerial skidding techniques.  Overgrazing of
this species by livestock or wildlife does not seem to be a problem due
to its rhizomatous nature [1,4]

    

Related categories for Species: Maianthemum stellatum | Starry Solomon's Seal