Dioscorea luzonensis Schauer

Tuber one a year, subclavate, descending down to a depth of 1 m; flesh white or pinkish white, esculent. Plant glabrous. Stem unarmed, faintly ridged. Bulbils none seen. Leaves on the larger stems opposed, but more often alternate than opposed, cordate with the auricles somewhat hastately extended, shortly acuminate, 15 by 12 cm, 5-7-nerved; petiole about as long as the lamina. Male flowering axes 2-4 together in fascicles in the axils of upper leaves, to 7 cm long with about 60 flowers spaced their own diameter apart. Buds nearly globose, to 2 mm long. Female flowering axes solitary, to 22 cm long, carrying up to 35 flowers, angled. Capsules truncate at the apex, very obtuse at the base, wings to 22 by 15 mm, ashy green when nearly dry, stipe to 5 mm long.

Chiefly at low elevations, not collected in the parts of Luzon where the climate has no break in humidity, but plentiful in the provinces near Manila where there are two dry breaks in the year. Fl. Sept. or possibly earlier. The size of the male flowers is noteworthy.

Uses. The tubers are often used as food, chiefly because it is abundant where it grows and search is quickly rewarded. To dig it out is laborious but to many worth while.

Can be grown by seedlings.