Polygonatum King Solomon's-seal or Solomon's Seal, is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

s. In the APG III classification system

APG III system

The APG III system of flowering plant classification is the third version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy...

, it is placed in the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Asparagaceae

Asparagaceae

Asparagaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots.In earlier classification systems, the species involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae...

, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae). It has also been classified in the former family Convallariaceae and, like many lilioid monocot

Lilioid monocot

Lilioid monocots or lilioids is an informal name used for a grade of five monocot orders in which the majority of species have flowers with relatively large, coloured tepals, broadly similar to those of lilies...

s, was formerly classified in the lily family Liliaceae

Liliaceae

The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...

.

Some species of this genus are believed to have medicinal properties, and some (in particular P. sibiricum) are used as a tisane in Korea, which is called dungulle.

Some Polygonatum shoots are edible, cooked like asparagus, as are the roots - after appropriate treatment - being a good source of starch.

Traditional medicine

Traditionally, "Solomon's Seal" purportedly alleviates a range of afflictions from menopause

Menopause

Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...

 to broken bones. As a topical application, the root are said to expedite the healing

Healing

Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....

 of cuts and bruises, skin irritation

Irritation

Irritation or exacerbation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant...

s and inflammation

Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...

s, and as a face wash is good for acne

Acne vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is a common human skin disease, characterized by areas of skin with seborrhea , comedones , papules , pustules , Nodules and possibly scarring...

, blemish

Blemish

Blemish may refer to:*A minor imperfection. For skin imperfection, see Acne vulgaris*Blemish a music album from David Sylvian released in 2003.*Blemish a Brazilian alternative rock band...

es and all kinds of imperfections of the skin. Its use to fight diabetes was first observed in 1930 by Hedwig Langecker. After experiments, she concluded that it was effective in fighting nutritional hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia or Hyperglycæmia, or high blood sugar, is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a glucose level higher than 13.5mmol/l , but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even higher values such as 15-20 mmol/l...

, though not that caused by adrenaline release, probably due to its content in glucokinin.

Selected species

Genus & Species	Common Name	Native Range
Polygonatum biflorum Polygonatum biflorum Polygonatum biflorum is a species of the family Polygonatum native to eastern North America.-External links:*...	Smooth or Great Solomon's Seal	Eastern North America
Polygonatum cirrhifolium	Tendril-leaf Solomon's Seal	Asia
Polygonatum cobrense	McKittrick's or Southwest Solomon's Seal	Southwestern U.S.
Polygonatum commutatum Polygonatum commutatum Polygonatum commutatum, Solomon's seal or Smooth Solomon's seal, is a widespread native plant of North America, located mainly from the eastern seaboard through the Great Plains. It is usually located in semi-shaded locations....	Solomon's Seal	Eastern North America
Polygonatum cyrtonema	Solomon's Seal	Eastern Asia
Polygonatum falcatum		Eastern Asia
Polygonatum hirsutum	Broadleaf Solomon's Seal	Eastern North America
Polygonatum humile	Dwarf Solomon's Seal	Eastern Asia
Polygonatum inflatum		Eastern Asia
Polygonatum involucratum		Asia
Polygonatum kingianum	Solomon's Seal	Asia
Polygonatum lasianthum	Solomon's Seal	Eastern Asia
Polygonatum latifolium	Broadleaf Solomon's Seal	Europe
Polygonatum macropodum	Big Footed Solomon's Seal	Asia
Polygonatum maximowiczii
Polygonatum multiflorum Polygonatum multiflorum Polygonatum multiflorum is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum. In Britain it is one of three native species of the genus, the others being Angular Solomon's-seal and Whorled Solomon's-seal.-References:*Matthew Wood. Random House, 1997. ISBN 9781556432323; pp. 397–408...	(Common) Solomon's Seal	Europe
Polygonatum odoratum Polygonatum odoratum Polygonatum odoratum, commonly known as Angular Solomon's-seal or Scented Solomon's-seal, is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum...	Scented (or Angular) Solomon's Seal	Europe
Polygonatum orientale	Oriental Solomon's Seal	Western Asia, Eastern Europe
Polygonatum pubescens	Downy/Hairy Solomon's Seal	Eastern North America
Polygonatum sibiricum	Huang Jing, Siberian Solomon's Seal	Eastern Asia
Polygonatum stenanthum		Eastern Asia
Polygonatum verticillatum Polygonatum verticillatum Polygonatum verticillatum or Whorled Solomon's-seal is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum....	Whorled Solomon's Seal	Europe
Polygonatum × hybridum Polygonatum × hybridum Polygonatum × hybridum is a hybrid cross between Common Solomon's-seal and Angular Solomon's-seal...	Garden Solomon's Seal	Europe