any plant of the genus Polygonatum of the family Ruscaceae, consisting of about 25 species of herbaceous perennials with thick, creeping underground stems and tall, drooping stems, distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The plants are particularly common in the eastern United States and Canada. They flourish in damp, wooded areas and in thickets. In the leaf axils of the plants are clusters of white or greenish white flowers, which are followed by red berries. The leaves form two rows along the upper part of the stem. Similar plants of the genus Smilacina, known as false Solomon's seal, bear their flower clusters at the tips of the stems.