Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense Desf.) is a rhizomatous, perennial herb common to the understory of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in New England. Mayflower genets are composed of ramets that in a given year may be either flowering (with 2-3 leaves and a terminal inflorescence consisting of 4-35 perfect flowers) or vegetative (with 1 leaf). Ramets are the fundamental units of the genet that live, reproduce, and die. Variables specific to flowering ramets, such as age, number of years prior to flowering, and number of times previously flowering, are not predictive of ramet seed maturation. An attempt here is made to describe ramets inclusive of their genet condition. If the survivorship and reproduction of a ramet is influenced by other ramets within the same genet, then adjacent ramets may play a greater role than more distant ramets. The identity of these adjacent ramets (whether flowering , vegetative, or absent) is here termed ramet context. A two-year field experiment with Canada mayflower was undertaken to determine in part whether ramet context was predictive of seed maturation, ramet age, and allocation to future sexual reproduction. Data concerning ramet context also proved useful in reconstructing genet development.

Key words: genet, Liliaceae, Maianthemum canadense, ramet