Dioscorea


Dioscorea is a genus of over 600 species of flowering plants in the family Dioscoreaceae, native throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. The vast majority of the species are tropical, with only a few species extending into temperate climates. It was named by the monk Charles Plumier after the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides.

Description

They are tuberous herbaceous perennial lianas, growing to or more tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, mostly broad heart-shaped. The flowers are individually inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, with six petals; they are mostly dioecious, with separate male and female plants, though a few species are monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. The fruit is a capsule in most species, a soft berry in a few species.
Most Dioscorea species that have been examined possess extrafloral nectaries at the petiole or leaf underside.

Cultivation and uses

Several species, known as yams, are important agricultural crops in tropical regions, grown for their large tubers. Many of these are toxic when fresh, but can be detoxified and eaten, and are particularly important in parts of Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
One class of toxins found in many species is steroidal saponins, which can be converted through a series of chemical reactions into steroid hormones for use in medicine and as contraceptives.
The 1889 book "The Useful Native Plants of Australia" records that Dioscorea hastifolia is "One of the hardiest of the yams. The tubers are largely consumed by the local aborigines for food.."

Accepted species, subspecies, and varieties

The genus includes the following species and subspecies:

A

  • Dioscorea abysmophila Maguire & Steyerm.
  • Dioscorea abyssinica Hochst. ex Kunth
  • Dioscorea acanthogene Rusby
  • Dioscorea acerifolia Phil.
  • Dioscorea acuminata Baker
  • Dioscorea adenantha Uline
  • Dioscorea aesculifolia R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea aguilarii Standl. & Steyerm.
  • Dioscorea alata L.
  • Dioscorea alatipes Burkill & H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea althaeoides R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea altissima Lam.
  • Dioscorea amaranthoides C.Presl
  • Dioscorea amazonum Mart. ex Griseb.
  • Dioscorea amazonum var. klugii Ayala
  • Dioscorea amoena R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea analalavensis Jum. & H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea ancachsensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea andina Phil.
  • Dioscorea andromedusae O.Téllez
  • Dioscorea angustifolia Rusby
  • Dioscorea anomala Griseb.
  • Dioscorea antaly Jum. & H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea antucoana Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea arachidna Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea araucana Phil.
  • Dioscorea arcuatinervis Hochr.
  • Dioscorea argyrogyna Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea arifolia C.Presl
  • Dioscorea aristolochiifolia Poepp.
  • Dioscorea arnensis R. Knuth
  • Dioscorea asclepiadea Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea aspera Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
  • Dioscorea aspersa Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea asperula Pedralli
  • Dioscorea asteriscus Burkill
  • Dioscorea atrescens R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea auriculata Poepp.

    B

  • Dioscorea bahiensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea bako Wilkin
  • Dioscorea balakrishnanii
  • Dioscorea balcanica Košanin
  • Dioscorea bancana Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea banzhuana S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
  • Dioscorea bartlettii C.V.Morton
  • Dioscorea basiclavicaulis Rizzini & A.Mattos
  • Dioscorea baya De Wild.
  • Dioscorea beecheyi R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea belophylla Voigt ex Haines
  • Dioscorea bemandry Jum. & H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea bemarivensis Jum. & H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea benthamii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea berenicea McVaugh
  • Dioscorea bermejensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea bernoulliana Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea besseriana Kunth
  • Dioscorea beyrichii R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea bicolor Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea biformifolia S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
  • Dioscorea biloba Caddick & Wilkin
  • Dioscorea biplicata R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea birmanica Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea birschelii Harms ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea blumei Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea bolivarensis Steyerm.
  • Dioscorea bonii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea bosseri Haigh & Wilkin
  • Dioscorea brachybotrya Poepp.
  • Dioscorea brachystachya Phil.
  • Dioscorea bradei R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea brandisii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea brevipetiolata Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea bridgesii Griseb. ex Kunth
  • Dioscorea brownii Schinz
  • Dioscorea bryoniifolia Poepp.
  • Dioscorea buchananii Benth.
  • Dioscorea buckleyana Wilkin
  • Dioscorea bulbifera L.
  • Dioscorea bulbotricha Hand.-Mazz.
  • Dioscorea burchellii Baker
  • Dioscorea burkilliana J.Miège

    C

  • Dioscorea cachipuertensis Ayala
  • Dioscorea calcicola Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea caldasensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea calderillensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea callacatensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cambodiana Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea campanulata Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea campestris Griseb.
  • Dioscorea campos-portoi R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea carionis Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea carpomaculata O.Téllez & B.G.Schub.
  • Dioscorea carpomaculata var. cinerea O.Téllez & B.G.Schub.
  • Dioscorea castilloniana Hauman
  • Dioscorea catharinensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky
  • Dioscorea cavenensis Lam.
  • Dioscorea cayennensis Lam.
  • Dioscorea cayennensis subsp. rotundata J.Miège; syn.: D. rotundata Poir.
  • Dioscorea ceratandra Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chacoensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chagllaensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chancayensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chaponensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chiapasensis Matuda
  • Dioscorea chimborazensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chingii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea choriandra Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea chouardii Gaussen
  • Dioscorea cienegensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cinnamomifolia Hook.
  • Dioscorea cirrhosa Lour.
  • Dioscorea cissophylla Phil.
  • Dioscorea claessensii De Wild.
  • Dioscorea claussenii Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea claytonii Ayala
  • Dioscorea cochleariapiculata De Wild.
  • Dioscorea collettii Hook.f.
  • Dioscorea collettii var. hypoglauca S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
  • Dioscorea communis Caddick & Wilkin
  • Dioscorea commutata R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea comorensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea composita Hemsl.
  • Dioscorea contracta R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea convolvulacea Cham. & Schltdl.
  • Dioscorea convolvulacea subsp. grandifolia Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea conzattii R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cordifolia Laness.
  • Dioscorea coreana R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea coriacea Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
  • Dioscorea coripatenis J.F.Macbr.
  • Dioscorea coronata Hauman
  • Dioscorea cotinifolia Kunth
  • Dioscorea craibiana Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea crateriflora R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea crotalariifolia Uline
  • Dioscorea cruzensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cubensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cumingii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea curitybensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cuspidata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
  • Dioscorea cuyabensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea cyanisticta J.D.Sm.
  • Dioscorea cymosula Hemsl.
  • Dioscorea cyphocarpa C.B.Rob. ex Knuth

    D

  • Dioscorea daunea Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea davidsei O.Téllez
  • Dioscorea de-mourae Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea debilis Uline ex R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea decaryana H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea decipiens Hook.f.
  • Dioscorea decorticans C.Presl
  • Dioscorea deflexa Griseb.
  • Dioscorea delavayi Franch.
  • Dioscorea delicata R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea deltoidea Wall. ex Griseb.
  • Dioscorea dendrotricha Uline
  • Dioscorea densiflora Hemsl.
  • Dioscorea depauperata Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea diamantinensis R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea dicranandra Donn.Sm.
  • Dioscorea dielsii R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea dissimulans Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea divaricata Blanco
  • Dioscorea diversifolia Griseb.
  • Dioscorea dodecaneura Vell.
  • Dioscorea dregeana T.Durand & Schinz
  • Dioscorea duchassaingii R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea dugesii C.B.Rob.
  • Dioscorea dumetorum Pax
  • Dioscorea dumetosa Uline ex R.Knuth

    E

  • Dioscorea ekmanii R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea elegans Ridl. ex Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea elephantipes Engl.
  • Dioscorea entomophila Hauman
  • Dioscorea epistephioides Taub.
  • Dioscorea escuintlensis Matuda
  • Dioscorea esculenta Burkill
  • Dioscorea esquirolii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea exalata C.T.Ting & M.C.Chang

    F

  • Dioscorea fandra H.Perrier
  • Dioscorea fasciculocongesta O.Téllez
  • Dioscorea fastigiata Gay
  • Dioscorea fendleri R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea ferreyrae Ayala
  • Dioscorea filiformis Blume
  • Dioscorea flabellifolia Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea flaccida R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea floribunda M.Martens & Galeotti
  • Dioscorea floridana Bartlett
  • Dioscorea fodinarum Kunth
  • Dioscorea fordii Prain & Burkill
  • Dioscorea formosana R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea fractiflexa R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea fuliginosa R.Knuth
  • Dioscorea furcata Griseb.
  • Dioscorea futschauensis Uline ex R.Knuth