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Dioscorea sylvatica Eckl.

Species

Angiosperms > Dioscoreales > Dioscoreaceae > Dioscorea

Characteristics

Dioecious climber, 1.5-10.0 m high; stems solitary with grey markings, twining; tubers adapted to habitat. Leaves alternate, petiolate, variable, cordiform to auriform, up to 75 x 63 mm, base deeply cordate, apex mucronate, margins ± entire. Male inflorescences: simple, up to 90 mm long. Male flowers many; filaments ± 1 mm long, attached to base of segments; pistillode rudimentary. Female inflorescences solitary, pendent racemes, up to 90 mm long. Female flowers ± 30; perianth yellowish green, rotate; staminodes rudimentary; inferior ovary 6-7 mm long; stigmatic surfaces bilobed, decurved. Flowering time Nov.-Mar. Fruit an oblong to obovate capsule.
More
A yam vine. The tubers are single. They are 30 cm across. They have deep lobes. They have a corky covering. It can be in a scale like pattern. The stems twine to the left. There are no bulbils. The leaves are alternate and can be entire or have 3 lobes. They are heart shaped. They are papery to rough. It is similar to Dioscorea elephantipes.
Perennial with large, lobed tuber sometimes partly exposed, with corky armour, stems twisting to the left, to 6 m. Leaves heart-shaped to sagittate. Male flowers in ± erect racemes, female flowers in nodding spikes, yellowish green.
Life form perennial
Growth form
Growth support climber
Foliage retention -
Sexuality dioecy
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 1.5 - 10.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a tropical to subtropical plant. It grows in rocky areas and also on sandy soils. It can grow from sea level to 1,800 m altitude. It is best in light, well-drained soils. It suits an open, sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. It can grow in arid places.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-3
Soil texture 5-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-10

Usage

The tubers have been used as food after soaking and processing. Caution: It contains steroids.
Uses food material medicinal
Edible roots tubers
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

It can be grown from seed or by cuttings.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) 21 - 36
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -12
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Dioscorea sylvatica unspecified picture

Distribution

Dioscorea sylvatica world distribution map, present in Mozambique, eSwatini, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Conservation status

Dioscorea sylvatica threat status: Vulnerable

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:318649-1
WFO ID wfo-0000395752
COL ID 36DBR
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Testudinaria paniculata Dioscorea hederifolia Dioscorea brevipes Dioscorea marlothii Dioscorea sylvatica Testudinaria glaucescens Dioscorea rehmannii Tamus sylvestris Testudinaria multiflora Testudinaria rehmannii Testudinaria sylvatica Dioscorea montana var. glauca Dioscorea montana var. paniculata Dioscorea sylvatica var. brevipes Dioscorea sylvatica subsp. lydenbergensis Dioscorea sylvatica var. multiflora Dioscorea sylvatica var. paniculata Dioscorea sylvatica var. rehmannii Testudinaria montana var. paniculata Testudinaria sylvatica var. brevipes Testudinaria sylvatica var. lydenbergensis Testudinaria sylvatica var. multiflora Testudinaria sylvatica var. paniculata Testudinaria sylvatica var. rehmannii Dioscorea montana var. duemmeri Dioscorea montana var. lobata Dioscorea montana var. sagittata Dioscorea sylvatica var. sylvatica
WorldFloraDB 2024