Convallaria odorata Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8, Convalla-ria no. 4. 1768; C. polygonatum Linnaeus; Polygonatum hondoense Nakai ex Koidzumi; P. japonicum C. Morren & Decaisne; P. langyaense D. C. Zhang & J. Z. Shao; P. maximowiczii F. Schmidt; P. odoratum f. ovalifolium Y. C. Chu et al.; P. officinale Allioni; P. officinale var. papillosum Franchet; P. planifilum Kitagawa & Hir. Takahashi; P. quelpaertense Ohwi; P. simizui Kitagawa; P. thunbergii C. Morren & Decaisne; P. vulgare Desfontaines.

Rhizome terete, 5--14 mm thick. Stem arching, 20--50(--100) cm, glabrous, angled. Leaves 7--12, alternate; petiole short; leaf blade abaxially glaucous, elliptic to ovate-oblong, 5--12(--20) × 3--6(--8) cm, often smooth, sometimes papillose-scabrous on veins, apex acuminate and obtuse tipped. Inflorescences 1--4(--8)-flowered; peduncle usually 1--1.5 cm; bracts small or absent. Flowers pendulous; pedicel 5--10(--20) mm. Perianth yellowish green to white, cylindric to campanulate-cylindric, 1.3--2(--2.5) cm; lobes ca. 3 mm. Filaments filiform, smooth or verruculose; anthers ca. 4 mm. Ovary 3--4 mm. Style 1--1.4 cm, included. Berries blue-black, 7--10(--12) mm in diam., 7--9-seeded. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Jul--Sep. 2 n = (18*), 20*, (21, 22*, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30, 40*).

Forests, shaded slopes; 500--3000 m. Anhui, Gansu, Guangxi, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, ?Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Taiwan, ?Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia; Europe].