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 is named after the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides.
Description[edit | edit source]
The plants are herbaceous vines, growing from tubers. They can grow up to 6 meters (20 ft) tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, heart-shaped or lanceolate. The flowers are individually inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, with six petals; male and female flowers are produced on separate plants (dioecious).
Uses[edit | edit source]
The best-known species is the yam (D. rotundata), an important food crop in Africa. Several other species are grown for their large edible tubers in Africa and Asia. Others are used for their medicinal value.
Species[edit | edit source]
There are over 600 species of Dioscorea. Some of the more notable species include:
- Dioscorea alata, the purple yam
- Dioscorea bulbifera, the air potato
- Dioscorea cayenensis, yellow Guinea yam
- Dioscorea dumetorum, bitter yam
- Dioscorea esculenta, lesser yam
- Dioscorea hispida, intoxicating yam
- Dioscorea japonica, East Asian yam
- Dioscorea mexicana, Mexican yam
- Dioscorea opposita, Chinese yam
- Dioscorea polystachya, Chinese yam
- Dioscorea rotundata, white yam
- Dioscorea trifida, cush-cush yam
- Dioscorea villosa, wild yam
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Dioscoreaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
Dioscorea Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD