Editing Polygonatum

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae}}
{{Distinguish|Polygonum}}

{{Automatic taxobox
|taxon = Polygonatum
|image = Polygonatum multiflorum2 ies.jpg
|image_caption = ''[[Polygonatum multiflorum]]''
|authority = [[Philip Miller|Mill.]]
|synonyms_ref=<ref name=WCSP>Search for "Polygonatum", {{Citation |title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |publisher=[[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]] |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/ |access-date=2014-06-26 }}</ref>
|synonyms=
*''Axillaria'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Salomonia'' <small>Heist. ex Fabr.</small>
*''Evallaria'' <small>Neck.</small>
*''Siphyalis'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Codomale'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Troxilanthes'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Campydorum'' <small>Salisb.</small>
*''Sigillum'' <small>Montandon in F.Friche-Joset</small>
*''Periballanthus'' <small>Franch. & Sav.</small>
}}

'''''Polygonatum''''' {{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|l|ᵻ|ˈ|ɡ|ɒ|n|ə|t|əm}},<ref>''Sunset Western Garden Book''. 1995. 606–607.</ref> also known as '''King Solomon's-seal''' or '''Solomon's seal''', is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s. In the [[APG III system|APG III classification system]], it is placed in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Asparagaceae]], subfamily [[Nolinoideae]] (formerly the family Ruscaceae).<ref>{{Citation |last1=Chase |first1=M. W. |last2=Reveal |first2=J. L. |last3=Fay |first3=M. F. |year=2009 |title=A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=161 |issue=2 |pages=132–136 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00999.x|name-list-style=amp |doi-access=free }}</ref> It has also been classified in the former family Convallariaceae and, like many [[lilioid monocot]]s, was formerly classified in the lily family, [[Liliaceae]].  The genus is distributed throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Most of the approximately 63 species occur in Asia, with 20 [[endemism|endemic]] to [[China]].<ref name=wuj>Wujisguleng, W., et al. (2012). [http://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/viewFile/asbp.2012.045/991 Ethnobotanical review of food uses of ''Polygonatum'' (Convallariaceae) in China.] ''Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae'' 81(4) 239-44.</ref>

==Etymology==
''Polygonatum'' comes from the ancient Greek for "many knees", referring to the multiple jointed [[rhizome]].<ref name=AZPLA>{{cite book|last=Coombes|first=A. J.|title=The A to Z of Plant Names|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962|url-access=registration|year=2012|publisher=Timber Press|location=USA|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/312 312]|isbn=9781604691962 }}</ref> One explanation for the derivation of the common name "[[Solomon]]'s seal" is that the roots bear depressions which resemble royal [[seal (emblem)|seals]]. Another is that the cut roots resemble [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew characters]].<ref>[http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/solsea63.html Solomon's Seal.] Botanical.com</ref>

==Description==
The fruits are red or black [[Berry (botany)|berries]]. The berries are poisonous to humans.

== Taxonomy ==
[[File:Polygonatum humile.JPG|thumb|right|''[[Polygonatum humile]]'']]
[[File:20140810Polygonatum odoratum1.jpg|thumb|right|Fruit of ''[[Polygonatum odoratum]]'']]
[[File:Polygonatum verticillatum Giant One02.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Polygonatum verticillatum]]'']]

===Species===
The following species are recognised in the genus ''Polygonatum'':<ref>{{Cite web |title=Polygonatum Mill. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:24672-1 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

*''[[Polygonatum acuminatifolium]]'' {{small|Kom.}}
*''[[Polygonatum adnatum]]'' {{small|S.Yun Liang}}
*''[[Polygonatum amabile]]'' {{small|Yatabe}}
*''[[Polygonatum angelicum]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum annamense]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum arisanense]]'' {{small|Hayata}}
*''[[Polygonatum autumnale]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum × azegamii]]'' {{small|(Ohwi) M.N.Tamura}}
*''[[Polygonatum biflorum]]'' {{small|(Walter) Elliott}} (including ''Polygonatum commutatum'') – Solomon's seal, smooth or great Solomon's seal – Eastern and central North America
*''[[Polygonatum brevistylum]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum × buschianum]]'' {{small|Tzvelev}}
*''[[Polygonatum campanulatum]]'' {{small|G.W.Hu}}
*''[[Polygonatum cathcartii]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum cirrhifolium]]'' {{small|(Wall.) Royle}} – tendril-leaf Solomon's seal – Southern China
*''[[Polygonatum costatum]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum cryptanthum]]'' {{small|H.Lév. & Vaniot}}
*''[[Polygonatum curvistylum]]'' {{small|Hua}}
*''[[Polygonatum cyrtonema]]'' {{small|Hua}} – Solomon's seal – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum daminense]]'' {{small|H.J.Yang & D.F.Cui}}
*''[[Polygonatum × desoulavyi]]'' {{small|Kom.}}
*''[[Polygonatum × domonense]]'' {{small|Satake}}
*''[[Polygonatum falcatum]]'' {{small|A.Gray}} – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum filipes]]'' {{small|Merr. ex C.Jeffrey & McEwan}}
*''[[Polygonatum franchetii]]'' {{small|Hua}}
*''[[Polygonatum geminiflorum]]'' {{small|Decne.}}
*''[[Polygonatum glaberrimum]]'' {{small|K.Koch}}
*''[[Polygonatum gongshanense]]'' {{small|L.H.Zhao & X.J.He}}
*''[[Polygonatum govanianum]]'' {{small|Royle}}
*''[[Polygonatum graminifolium]]'' {{small|Hook.}}
*''[[Polygonatum grandicaule]]'' {{small|Y.S.Kim, B.U.Oh & C.G.Jang}}
*''[[Polygonatum griffithii]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum hirtellum]]'' {{small|Hand.-Mazz.}}
*''[[Polygonatum hookeri]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum humile]]'' {{small|Fisch. ex Maxim.}} – dwarf Solomon's seal – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum × hybridum]]'' {{small|Brügger}} – garden Solomon's seal – Europe
*''[[Polygonatum inflatum]]'' {{small|Kom.}} – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum infundiflorum]]'' {{small|Y.S.Kim, B.U.Oh & C.G.Jang}}
*''[[Polygonatum involucratum]]'' {{small|(Franch. & Sav.) Maxim.}} – Asia
*''[[Polygonatum jinzhaiense]]'' {{small|D.C.Zhang & J.Z.Shao}}
*''[[Polygonatum kingianum]]'' {{small|Collett & Hemsl.}} – Solomon's seal – Asia
*''[[Polygonatum × krylovii]]'' {{small|(Ameljcz. & Malachova) A.L.Ebel}}
*''[[Polygonatum lasianthum]]'' {{small|Maxim.}} – Korean Solomon's seal<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|title=English Names for Korean Native Plants|publisher=[[Korea National Arboretum]]|year=2015|isbn=978-89-97450-98-5|location=Pocheon|pages=582|access-date=24 December 2016|via=[[Korea Forest Service]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525105020/http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum latifolium]]'' {{small|(Jacq.) Desf.}}
*''[[Polygonatum leiboense]]'' {{small|S.C.Chen & D.Q.Liu}}
*''[[Polygonatum longistylum]]'' {{small|Y.Wan ex C.Z.Gao}}
*''[[Polygonatum luteoverrucosum]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum macranthum]]'' {{small|(Maxim.) Koidz.}}
*''[[Polygonatum macropodum]]'' {{small|Turcz.}} – big footed Solomon's seal – Asia
*''[[Polygonatum megaphyllum]]'' {{small|P.Y.Li}}
*''[[Polygonatum mengtzense]]'' {{small|F.T.Wang & Tang}}
*''[[Polygonatum multiflorum]]'' {{small|(L.) All.}} – (common) Solomon's seal – Europe
*''[[Polygonatum nervulosum]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum nodosum]]'' {{small|Hua}}
*''[[Polygonatum odoratum]]'' {{small|(Mill.) Druce}} – scented (or angular) Solomon's seal – Europe
*''[[Polygonatum omeiense]]'' {{small|Z.Y.Zhu}}
*''[[Polygonatum oppositifolium]]'' {{small|(Wall.) Royle}}
*''[[Polygonatum orientale]]'' {{small|Desf.}} – oriental Solomon's seal – Western Asia, Eastern Europe
*''[[Polygonatum prattii]]'' {{small|Baker}}
*''[[Polygonatum × pseudopolyanthemum]]'' {{small|Miscz. ex Grossh.}}
*''[[Polygonatum pubescens]]'' {{small|(Willd.) Pursh}} – downy/hairy Solomon's seal – Eastern North America
*''[[Polygonatum punctatum]]'' {{small|Royle ex Kunth}}
*''[[Polygonatum qinghaiense]]'' {{small|Z.L.Wu & Y.C.Yang}}
*''[[Polygonatum robustum]]'' {{small|(Korsh.) Nakai}}
*''[[Polygonatum roseum]]'' {{small|(Ledeb.) Kunth}}
*''[[Polygonatum sewerzowii]]'' {{small|Regel}}
*''[[Polygonatum sibiricum]]'' {{small|Redouté}} – Huang Jing, Siberian Solomon's seal – Eastern Asia
*''[[Polygonatum singalilense]]'' {{small|H.Hara}}
*''[[Polygonatum sparsifolium]]'' {{small|F.T.Wang & Tang}}
*''[[Polygonatum stenophyllum]]'' {{small|Maxim.}}
*''[[Polygonatum stewartianum]]'' {{small|Diels}}
*''[[Polygonatum × tamaense]]'' {{small|H.Hara}}
*''[[Polygonatum tessellatum]]'' {{small|F.T.Wang & Tang}}
*''[[Polygonatum tsinlingense]]'' {{small|Tsui}}
*''[[Polygonatum undulatifolium]]'' {{small|Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum urceolatum]]'' {{small|(J.M.H.Shaw) Floden}}
*''[[Polygonatum verticillatum]]'' {{small|(L.) All.}} – whorled Solomon's seal – Europe
*''[[Polygonatum wardii]]'' {{small|F.T.Wang & Tang}}
*''[[Polygonatum yunnanense]]'' {{small|H.Lév.}}
*''[[Polygonatum zanlanscianense]]'' {{small|Pamp.}}
*''[[Polygonatum zhejiangensis]]'' {{small|X.J.Xue & H.Yao}}
{{div col end}}

==Uses==

===Gardening===
Several species are valued as [[ornamental plant]]s, including:<ref name=RHSAZ>{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}} 
* ''[[Polygonatum biflorum]]
* ''[[Polygonatum hirtum]]''
* ''[[Polygonatum hookeri]]''
* ''[[Polygonatum humile]]''
* [[Polygonatum × hybridum|''Polygonatum'' × ''hybridum'']]
*''[[Polygonatum multiflorum]]''
*''[[Polygonatum odoratum]]''
*''[[Polygonatum stewartianum]]''
*''[[Polygonatum verticillatum]]''
{{div col end}}

===Food===
The berries are poisonous to humans.

Many species have long been used as food in China, such as ''Polygonatum sibiricum''. Leaves, stems, and rhizomes are used raw or cooked and served as a side dish with meat and rice. The rhizomes of two local species are eaten with [[Chicken feet|chicken's]] or [[Pig's trotters|pig's feet]] during festivals. The rhizomes are used to make [[tea]] or soaked in [[wine]] or [[liquor]] to flavor the beverages. They are also fried with sugar and honey to make sweet snacks. The starchy rhizomes can be dried, ground, and added to [[flour]] to supplement [[staple food|food staples]]. The rhizome of ''P. sibiricum'' is pulped, boiled, strained, and thickened with barley flour to make a sweet liquid seasoning agent called ''tangxi''. At times, people in China have relied on ''P. megaphyllum'' as a [[famine food]].<ref name=wuj/>

The shoots of some ''Polygonatum'' can be boiled and used like [[asparagus]]. ''P. cirrifolium'' and ''P. verticillatum'' are used as leafy [[vegetable]]s in [[India]]. The American species ''P. biflorum'' has a starchy root that was eaten like the [[potato]] and used as flour for bread.<ref name=wuj/>

''P. sibiricum'' is used for a tea called ''dungulle'' in [[Korea]].<ref name=wuj/>

=== Traditional medicine ===
The berries may be poisonous to humans.

{{medical citations needed|section|date=October 2015}}
The traditional use of ''Polygonatum'' in the treatment of [[diabetes]] was first observed in 1930 by [[Hedwig Langecker]]. After experiments, she concluded that it was effective in fighting nutritional [[hyperglycemia]], though not that caused by [[adrenaline]] release, probably due to its [[glucokinin]] content.<ref>Source:Quer, Pío Font "Plantas Medicinales - El Dioscórides renovado". 1961/2005 Barcelona: Ediciones Península, {{ISBN|9788483072424}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=October 2015}}

''P. verticillatum'' is used in [[Ayurveda]] as an [[aphrodisiac]].<ref name=kasmi>Kasmi, I., et al. (2012). [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S222218081260276X Aphrodisiac properties of ''Polygonatum verticillatum'' leaf extract.] ''Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease'' S841-45.</ref> It is also used to treat pain, fever, inflammation, allergy, and weakness.<ref name=khan>Khan, H., et al. (2011). [http://ecommons.aku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=pakistan_fhs_mc_bbs&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar%3Fq%3Dpolygonatum%2Btraditional%26btnG%3D%26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%252C5#search=%22polygonatum%20traditional%22 Antinociceptive activity of aerial parts of ''Polygonatum verticillatum'': Attenuation of both peripheral and central pain mediators.] ''Phytotherapy Research'' 25(7) 1024-30.</ref>

An [[herbal remedy]] called ''rhizoma polygonati'' is a mix of ''Polygonatum'' species used in [[traditional Chinese medicine]]. It is supposed to strengthen various organs and enhance the ''[[qi]]''.<ref name=wuj/> Polygonatum is believed to be restorative to mental vitality, especially when the mind has been overworked, overstressed, or is in a state of exhaustion.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Teeguarden|first1=Ron|title=The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs|date=1 March 2000|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|isbn=978-0446675062|page=216 | edition=1st}}</ref>

''P. cyrtonema'' is a compound that is often used in ''Traditional Chinese Theory'' as a treatment for depression, which is thought to originate from problems in the liver and the kidney. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is considered by TCT to be a form of depression is also sometimes treated with ''P. cyrtonema.'' There is some evidence that ''P. cyrtonema'' can inhibit [[Post-traumatic stress disorder|Post Traumatic Stress]] by regulating oxidative stress and inflammation associated with the NLRP3 gene.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Xie |first=Chen |date=2024 |title=Polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua prevent post-traumatic stress disorder behaviors in mice: Mechanisms from the perspective of synaptic injury, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117165 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |volume=319, 117165|issue=Pt 1 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2023.117165 |pmid=37696440 |s2cid=261674498 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Maianthemum]]''
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Commons category|Polygonatum|<br/>Polygonatum|position=left}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q161152}}

[[Category:Polygonatum| ]]
[[Category:Asparagaceae genera]]
[[Category:Edible plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Dietary supplements]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller]]