Dioscoreaceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants, with about 715 known species in nine genera. The best-known member of the family is the yam.
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.
Dioscorea villosa is a species of twining tuberous vine which is native to eastern North America. It is commonly known as wild yam, colic root, rheumatism root, devil's bones, and fourleaf yam. It is common and widespread in a range stretching from Texas and Florida north to Minnesota, Ontario and Massachusetts.
Dioscorea communis or Tamus communis is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae and is commonly known as black bryony, lady's-seal or black bindweed.
Dioscorea polystachya or Chinese yam, also called cinnamon-vine, is a species of flowering plant in the yam family. It is sometimes called Chinese potato or by its Korean name ma. It is also called huaishan in Mandarin and waisan in Cantonese.
Dioscorea oppositifolia is a type of yam (Dioscorea) native to Myanmar (Burma) and to the Indian Subcontinent.
Dioscorea bulbifera is a species of true yam in the yam family, Dioscoreaceae. It is native to Africa, Asia and northern Australia. It is widely cultivated and has become naturalized in many regions.
Dioscorea mexicana, Mexican yam or cabeza de negro is a species of yam in the genus Dioscorea.
Dioscorea transversa, the pencil yam, is a vine of eastern and northern Australia.
Dioscorea orangeana, is a tuberous vining flowering plant in the genus Dioscorea, endemic the Forêt d’Orangea near Antsiranana in Madagascar, from which it derives its name. The tuber is possibly edible, and unlike most other Dioscorea species, the tuber has many finger-like lobes as opposed to a single tuber. Because the plant is new to science and the possible harvesting by local populations, the conservation status of Dioscorea orangeana is of great concern.
Dioscorea pentaphylla is a species of flowering plant in the yam family known by the common name fiveleaf yam. It is native to southern and eastern Asia as well as New Guinea and northern Australia. It is widely cultivated as a food crop and naturalized in Cuba and on several island chains in the Pacific.
Dioscorea sansibarensis is a species of flowering plant in the yam family known by the common name Zanzibar yam. It is native to Madagascar and to tropical Africa from Tanzania west to Guinea and south to Mozambique, and it is known elsewhere as an introduced species.
Dioscorea hamiltonii is a species of Dioscorea native to southern China, Taiwan, northern Indochina and the Himalayas.
Dioscorea abysmophila is a herbaceous vine in the genus Dioscorea. It is native to Venezuela, with the type locality listed as "Estado do Amazonas, São Gabriel, Rio Negro." A note included with the type specimen, collected in 1945, indicates that the specimen was collected from rocky terrain on a high mountain range. Another specimen, collected in 2000, is listed as being collected from the forested northern slope of a coastal mountain range near the headwaters of the Temerla river.
Dioscorea abyssinica is a herbaceous vine in the genus Dioscorea native to several Central African countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan. The plant's starchy tubers are edible and are either harvested from the wild or cultivated; however, they are difficult to obtain due to the depth at which they grow in the soil. It is propagated by seed.
Dioscorea amazonum is a herbaceous vine in the genus Dioscorea which is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Specimens have been collected from forested areas next to roads and rivers.
Dioscorea analalavensis is a herbaceous vine in the genus Dioscorea which is native to Madagascar.
Dioscorea ancachsensis is a herbaceous plant in the genus Dioscorea that is native to Peru. It is uncertain if these specimens are mature, but they are distinct from most specimens of most Dioscorea species in that they are approximately 5 cm across. One such specimen, collected from an open hillside in Cuzco, includes foliage, flowers, and a tuber and is approximately 4 by 5 cm when pressed.
Dioscorea deltoidea, the Nepal yam, is a species of flowering plant in the family Dioscoreaceae. Its native range is the Himalayas through to south-central China and mainland Southeast Asia. Its tubers contain diosgenin and are harvested by local peoples as a treatment for a variety of conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders and intestinal worms. Tubers are also eaten after boiling, washing, and baking. It grows in forests and humus-rich soils.
Dioscorea floribunda, the medicinal yam or mule's-hoof, is a species of flowering plant in the family Dioscoreaceae. It is found from central Mexico to northern Central America. It is grown commercially for its diosgenin content.
