Polygonatum, also known as King Solomon's-seal or Solomon's seal, is a genus of flowering plants. It is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae. There 74 species and hybrids in the genus.
Polygonatum genus is distributed throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Most of the approximately 63 species occur in Asia, with 20 endemic to China. "Polygonatum" comes from the ancient Greek for "many knees", referring to the multiple jointed rhizome. One explanation for the derivation of the common name "Solomon's seal" is that the roots bear depressions which resemble royal seals. Another is that the cut roots resemble Hebrew characters. The fruits are red or black berries. Many species have long been used as food in China. Leaves, stems, and rhizomes are used raw or cooked and served as a side dish with meat and rice.
