Dioscorea asteriscus Burkill

Tuber annual, spherical (fide Perdue & Kibuwa).. Plant glabrous.. Twining stems, up to 3 m. long.. Leaves alternate; petiole up to 8 cm. long; blade heart-shaped, rather gradually narrowed to an acute acumen, up to 14(–18) cm. long and broad, often much smaller.. Aerial tubers irregularly subglobose, up to 5 cm. in diameter, deep purplish.. Inflorescences pendulous.. Male racemose, up to 4 per leaf-axil or forming a terminal leafless panicle; racemes 10(–15) cm. long; flowers standing out on 1–2 mm. long pedicels at right-angles to the axis; perianth in flower spreading, star-shaped, ± 4 mm. across; tepals lanceolate, very acute. Stamens 6.. Female inflorescences spicate, 1–3 per leaf-axil, up to 30 cm. long; flowers solitary at a node, directed downwards; perianth slightly spreading, ± 3(–6) mm. across. Ovary ± 4 mm. long, restricted just below the perianth.. Capsule as in fig. 1/3, p. 4, 2.5(–3) cm. long, 1.2–1.5 cm. in diameter, directed upwards.. Seeds (fig. 1/3a) winged at basal end, 16 mm. long.

It is a tropical plant.