Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.
As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”
Where have all the flowers of spring gone? Long time passing….
Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park has a rather spectacular understory layer in its seventh year. From the top left: Celandine-poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), and wild ginger (Asarum canadense). 
And hiding their lights under their bushel of leaves: Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum).
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I was under the impression that P. biflorum/commutatum had only 2 flowers in the cluster (can one call a pair a cluster?) and that having more made it P. caniculatum. At least that’s how I’ve been labeling my photos from the BBG. But perhaps this has changed – my field guides are old.
You raise an excellent question. Plant taxonomy and the resulting nomenclature is being revolutionized as we speak.
P. biflorum is currently an accepted name, according to the Plant List http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Polygonatum+biflorum.
Newcomb 1977 says 1-4 in a cluster for P. biflorum, while Clements & Gracie 2006 say 1-15 flowers in a cluster!
Backyard and Beyond 
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