The genus <i>Paris</i>: a fascinating resource for medicinal and botanical studies

The genus <i>Paris</i>, comprising a series of distinctive medicinal plants, has been utilized globally for its therapeutic properties over centuries. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that secondary metabolites from <i>Paris</i> species exhibit significant pharmacological activities, including anticancer, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and other effects. Additionally, the unique morphological traits and large genome size of <i>Paris</i> species have continuously captured the interest of botanists and horticulturalists. Nonetheless, the conservation of wild <i>Paris</i> populations is threatened due to the lengthy reproductive cycle and overexploitation, posing considerable challenges to their development and sustainable use. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the botanical characteristics, historical medicinal uses, pharmacological effects, and toxicity evaluation of secondary metabolites in <i>Paris</i> species. It also covers the molecular biological research conducted on the genus <i>Paris</i> and proposes key research questions and important directions for future solutions. We advocate the expansion and implementation of multi-omics approaches, as well as molecular and genetic technologies recently advanced in model plant research, to intensively study <i>Paris</i> species. This will facilitate the comprehensive understanding of gene function and molecular mechanisms underlying specialized metabolite formation in <i>Paris</i>.