An ideal micropropagation method of Polygonatum verticillatum has been developed using stem disc explants. Multiple shoots were initiated from stem disc explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with different concentrations (0.25-10.0 mgl NAA was found to be the most effective in producing maximum number of shoots. Regular subculturing of these in vitro multiple shoots induced profuse growth of lateral roots in the same medium. Individual shoots were excised and rooted in vitro on half strength MS medium with 1.0 mglNAA. Regenerants were hardened in growth chamber with high humidity and showed a high rate of survival.(Family-Liliaceae) commonly known as whorled solomon's seal (Meda) is a distinguished medicinal plant of temperate Himalaya. It is distributed frequently as undergrowth in forest of temperate regions between 2,000 and 3,000 m elevations. The rhizome of this plant constitutes an important ingredient of Ashtavarga, a group of eight drugs used extensively in Ayurveda mainly as a tonic and aphrodisiac. It has been reported to pacify pitta dosa, increase cough and shukra and is useful in phthisis, burning sensation in the body, fever and has significant antifungal activity (Chaumont 1979;Varier 1994). In trade, its rhizome is known as Meda/ Mahameda and its medicinal attributes are ascribed mainly to the presence of steroidal saponins and polysaccharides in the rhizome. The plant is also useful in the preparation of cosmetics, skin tonic and as a vegetable. Due to large scale and indiscriminate collection of wild material, P. verticillatum is rapidly disappearing. There is a need for conservation and mass multiplication of this plant. To fill the gap between demand and supply of its tuberous roots for commercial gains and to provide cost-effective planting material for conventional propagation methods at a rapid rate in a short span of time, plant tissue culture approach seems to be a profitable alternative. Materials and methods Plant materialPlants of P. verticillatum were collected from natural habitat (from the forest division in Pauri Garhwal and Mandal in Gopeshwar) and were maintained in earthen pots containing mixture of sand, soil and farmyard manure (1:1:1) v/v. These plants were used as the mother source for obtaining explants for tissue culture experiments. Establishment of aseptic culturesThe young rhizomes were washed thoroughly with 1 % (v/v) Labolene detergent for 15 min in a gentle continuous flow of tap water followed by 0.1 % w/v

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