Solomon's seal |
Habit, flowers, fruits und leaf of the Solomon's seal
| Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. | |
| Blooming period: | May–June |
| Height: | 30–80 cm |
| Flowers: | bisexual, actinomorphic, campanulate, approx. 15 mm long, stamens: 6, styles: 1 |
| Tepals: | 6, white-green, tubular |
| Stem leaves: | alternate, elliptic to oblong |
| Basal leaves: | missing |
Plants perennial, herbaceous with a 7 cm thick, white, gnarled, creeping rhizome.
Stems arching, round, glabrous, unbranched.
Leaves distich, alternate, elliptic to oblong, simple, entire, sessile or short-stalked, on the underside glaucous.
The axillary racemes bear 2–5 nodding, hermaphrodite, white, scentless flowers with green corolla lobes.
The 6 identically looking tepals are fused tubular with the exception of the corolla lobes. The corolla tube is slightly constricted in the middle.
From the corolla tube rise 6 soft-hairy stamens that do not protrude from the flower.
After insect or self-pollination from the superior ovary consisting of 3 carpels are formed black, glaucous, soft, many-seeded, poisonous berries.
All parts of the plants poisonous, especially the fruits.
| Floral formula: |
| * [P6 A6] G(3) superior |
Occurrence:
Forests,
forest edges, shrubberies. Prefers slightly moist, nutritious soils and
slightly shady locations.
Distribution:
Temperate
zones of Europe and Asia.