Dioscorea

Dioscorea
	Dioscorea balcanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Dioscoreales
Family:	Dioscoreaceae
Genus:	Dioscorea; L.
Sections
	Enantiophyllum;
Synonyms
	Tamus L.; Ricophora Mill.; Tamnus Mill.; Oncus Lour.; Ubium J.F.Gmel.; Oncorhiza Pers.; Testudinaria Salisb. ex Burch.; Rhizemys Raf.; Botryosicyos Hochst.; Helmia Kunth; Sismondaea Delponte; Epipetrum Phil.; Borderea Miégev.; Elephantodon Salisb.; Hamatris Salisb.; Merione Salisb.; Polynome Salisb.; Strophis Salisb.; Higinbothamia Uline; Nanarepenta Matuda; Hyperocarpa (Uline) G.M.Barroso, E.F.Guim. & Sucre;

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.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] 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 2–12 metres (6.6–39.4 ft) 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.^[5]^[6]

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 (see yam article).

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. (Mueller)."^[7]

Accepted species (613), subspecies, and varieties[]

The genus includes the following species and subspecies:^{[citation needed]}

A[]

Dioscorea abysmophila Maguire & Steyerm.
Dioscorea abyssinica Hochst. ex Kunth
Dioscorea acanthogene Rusby
Phil.
Dioscorea acuminata Baker
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.
(R.Knuth) Ayala
R.Knuth
Dioscorea analalavensis Jum. & H.Perrier
Dioscorea ancachsensis R.Knuth
Phil.
Dioscorea andromedusae O.Téllez
Rusby
Griseb.
Jum. & H.Perrier
Uline ex R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Phil.
Hochr.
Uline ex R.Knuth
C.Presl
Poepp.
R. Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Prain & Burkill
Pedralli
Burkill
R.Knuth
Poepp.

B[]

R.Knuth
Wilkin
Dioscorea balcanica Košanin
Prain & Burkill
S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
C.V.Morton
Rizzini & A.Mattos
De Wild.
R.Knuth
(Prain) Voigt ex Haines
Jum. & H.Perrier
Jum. & H.Perrier
Prain & Burkill
McVaugh
R.Knuth
Dioscorea bernoulliana Prain & Burkill
Kunth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
(Phil.) Caddick & Wilkin
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Harms ex R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Steyerm.
Prain & Burkill
Haigh & Wilkin
Poepp.
Phil.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Prain & Burkill
Griseb. ex Kunth
Schinz
Poepp.
Benth.
Wilkin
Dioscorea bulbifera L.
Hand.-Mazz.
Baker
J.Miège

C[]

Ayala
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex R.Knuth
Griseb.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
O.Téllez & B.G.Schub.
(Uline ex R.Knuth) O.Téllez & B.G.Schub.
Hauman
R.Knuth
Lipsky
Lam.
Dioscorea cayennensis Lam.
Dioscorea cayennensis subsp. rotundata (Poir.) J.Miège; syn.: D. rotundata Poir.
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Matuda
Dioscorea chimborazensis R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex R.Knuth
Dioscorea chouardii Gaussen
R.Knuth
Hook.
Lour.
Phil.
De Wild.
Uline ex R.Knuth
Ayala
De Wild.
Hook.f.
(Palib.) S.J.Pei & C.T.Ting
Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Dioscorea composita Hemsl.
R.Knuth
Cham. & Schltdl.
(Schltdl.) Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Laness.
(Prain & Burkill) R.Knuth
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
J.F.Macbr.
Hauman
Kunth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Uline
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
R.Knuth
J.D.Sm.
Hemsl.
C.B.Rob. ex Knuth

D[]

Prain & Burkill
O.Téllez
Uline ex R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
H.Perrier
Hook.f.
C.Presl
Griseb.
Franch.
R.Knuth
Dioscorea deltoidea Wall. ex Griseb.
Uline
Hemsl.
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Donn.Sm.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Blanco
Griseb.
Vell.
Dioscorea dregeana (Kunth) T.Durand & Schinz
R.Knuth
C.B.Rob.
Dioscorea dumetorum (Kunth) Pax
Uline ex R.Knuth

E[]

R.Knuth
Ridl. ex Prain & Burkill
Dioscorea elephantipes (L'Hér.) Engl.
Hauman
Taub.
Matuda
Dioscorea esculenta (Lour.) Burkill
Prain & Burkill
C.T.Ting & M.C.Chang

F[]

H.Perrier
(Sosa & B.G.Schub.) O.Téllez
Gay
R.Knuth
Ayala
Blume
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
M.Martens & Galeotti
Dioscorea floridana Bartlett
Kunth
Dioscorea fordii Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Griseb.
Uline ex R.Knuth

G[]

Kunth
R.Knuth
Matuda
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
O.Téllez
Milne-Redh.
Roxb.
(Griseb.) Klotzsch ex Kunth
(R.Knuth) Ayala
Hauman
O.Téllez
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Hook. ex Poepp.
Miq.
Mart. ex Griseb.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Baudon
Kunth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth

H[]

C.Presl
Dioscorea hamiltonii Hook.f.
Chodat
Mill.
Rusby
Dioscorea hastifolia Nees
R.Knuth
Xifreda
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Burkill
Prain & Burkill
Vell.
Rusby
R.Knuth
Baker
Baker
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Benth.
Milne-Redh.
Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
Maury
H.Perrier
R.Knuth
O.Téllez, B.G.Schub. & Geeta
Poepp.
Bertero ex Colla
(F.Phil.) Viruel, Segarra & Villar
Xifreda

I[]

Matuda
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
C.V.Morton & B.G.Schub.
Thwaites
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth

J[]

S.Watson
R.Knuth
Dioscorea japonica Thunb. - Shan yao in Chinese (Chinese: 山药; pinyin: Shān yào)
Ayala
Dioscorea juxtlahuacensis (O.Téllez & Dávila) Caddick & Wilkin

K[]

Prain & Burkill
Kunth
Burkill ex Backer
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Wilkin
R.Knuth
Wilkin & Muasya
R.Knuth
De Wild.
Standl.
Jayas.
Prain & Burkill
Uline
Uline ex Kuntze

L[]

Griseb.
Uline
Prain & Burkill
Bail
Uline ex R.Knuth
Wall. ex Hook.f.
R.Knuth
Mart. ex Griseb.
Uline
Prain & Burkill
C.V.Morton
Uline ex R.Knuth
Uline
C.L.Long & H.Li
Prain & Burkill
Dorr & Stergios
Prain & Burkill
Phil.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Phil.
Caddick & Wilkin
Uline
Uline ex R.Knuth
Schauer

M[]

R.Knuth
Jum. & H.Perrier
Uline ex R.Knuth
Uline
B.G.Schub.
H.Perrier
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex R.Knuth
Jum. & H.Perrier
Rusby
J.Miège
R.Knuth
G.M.Barroso, E.F.Guim. & Sucre
Griseb.
R.Knuth
Griseb.
Prain & Burkill
Uline
O.Téllez & B.G.Schub.
Wilkin
Gleason
Griseb.
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex Prain
Pierre ex Prain & Burkill
H.Li
Kunth
Prain & Burkill
O.Téllez & Mart.-Rodr.
Dioscorea mexicana Scheidw.
Griseb.
Uline
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
C.B.Rob. & Seaton
Engl.
C.V.Morton
R.Knuth
Phil.
Kunth
(Kunth) Griseb.
Hauman
(Uline) Matuda
(Kunth) R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
Mart. ex Griseb.
Kunth
Benth.
Baker

N[]

H.Perrier
Wilkin
Poepp.
H.Li
R.Knuth
Hammel
Maguire & Steyerm.
Uline ex R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Phil.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.A.Howard
Makino
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Lam.
R.Knuth

O[]

Uline
Hook.f.
Gleason
Rusby
Hook. & Arn.
Klotzsch ex Griseb.
Phil.
O.Téllez
R.Knuth
Griseb.
Dioscorea oppositifolia L. - Shan yao in Chinese (Chinese: 山药; pinyin: Shān yào)
Dioscorea orangeana Wilkin^[8]
Hook.f.
(Ridl.) Thapyai
B.G.Schub.
R.Knuth
(J.Thiébaut) Caddick & Wilkin
Dioscorea orizabensis Uline
Uline ex Hochr.
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Vell.
Dioscorea ovinala Baker

P[]

Prain & Burkill
Burkill
Schltdl.
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex R.Knuth
Phil.
Phil.
Poepp. ex Kunth
Dioscorea pentaphylla L.
Prain & Burkill
Taub.
R.Knuth
H.Perrier
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Hauman
R.Knuth
Bertero ex Spreng.
R.Knuth
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Uline ex B.L.Rob.
C.B.Rob.
Griseb.
(Kunth) Uline ex R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Hook.f.
Dioscorea polygonoides Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Dioscorea polystachya Turcz. (also: Dioscorea batatas Decne)
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Steud.
Pax
(Harms) Wilkin
C.B.Rob.
H.Perrier
R.Knuth
Dioscorea pseudomacrocapsa G.M.Barroso, E.F.Guim. & Sucre
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Boivin ex H.Perrier
Blume
Poir.
Uline
Griseb.
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
De Wild.
Bubani & Bordère ex Gren.
Kunth

Q[]

Dioscorea quartiniana A.Rich.
J.F. Gmel.
Thunb.
R.Knuth

R[]

(Klotzsch) Uline
Uline ex R.Knuth
C.V.Morton
Kunth
Gay
Mast.
Uline
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Dioscorea rimbachii R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Dioscorea rosei R.Knuth
Griseb.
Kunth
Uline

S[]

R.Knuth
Poir.
Pax
(De Wild.) Nkounkou
Blume
Standl.
R.Knuth
Matuda
R.Knuth
B.G.Schub.
R.Knuth
Dioscorea sansibarensis Pax
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
Poepp.
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Hochst. ex Kunth
Ayala
Ayala & T.Clayton
Uline ex R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth
Uline
Thunb.
Vell.
Dioscorea sericea R.Knuth
Jum. & H.Perrier
Hoque & P.K.Mukh.
McVaugh
Burkill
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
C.T.Ting, M.G.Gilbert & Turland
Vell.
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
De Wild. & T.Durand
R.Knuth
Steyerm.
Jum. & H.Perrier
(Jum. & H.Perrier) Burkill & H.Perrier
R.Knuth
Dioscorea spicata Roth
Hemsl.
Matuda
J.Q.Xi, M.Mizuno & W.L.Zhao
Uline ex R.Knuth
C.V.Morton
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Phil.
Prain & Burkill
Hauman
Uline
O.Weber & Wilkin
Dioscorea stipulosa Uline ex R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Vell.
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Miranda
Prain & Burkill
B.G.Schub. & O.Téllez
R.Knuth
Dioscorea sylvatica Eckl.
Uline
(Kunth) Kunth & R.H.Schomb. ex R.Knuth

T[]

Hatus. ex Yamashita & M.N.Tamura
Lundell
Prain & Burkill
Griseb.
Ayala
Matuda
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
C.V.Morton
Phil.
Prain & Burkill
Franch. & Sav.
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Griseb.
Uline ex R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Makino ex Miyabe
R.Knuth
J.Koenig ex Spreng.
R.Knuth
Griseb.
Kunth
R.Knuth
Dioscorea transversa R.Br.
Sessé & Moc.
Baker
Gleason
Dioscorea trifida L.f.
Kunth
Hauman
Dioscorea trilinguis Griseb.
Prain & Burkill
Roxb. ex Prain & Burkill
Griseb.
R.Knuth
Miq.
H.Perrier
Matuda
Uline ex R.Knuth
Griseb.

U[]

Phil.
Greenm. ex R.Knuth
Baker
Uline
Hemsl.
Matuda

V[]

R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
Bertero
Prain & Burkill
Prain & Burkill
Kunth
Dioscorea villosa L.
Phil.

W[]

Dioscorea wallichii Hook.f.
Uline ex Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
Prain & Burkill
R.Knuth
R.Knuth
Hook.f.
R.Knuth
Uline ex R.Knuth

X[]

C.T.Ting

Y[]

Prain & Burkill

Z[]

Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H.Wright

The closely related genus Tamus is included in Dioscorea by some sources,^[9] but is maintained as distinct by others.^[10] For Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin, see Tamus communis.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
^ Govaerts, R., Wilkin, P. & Saunders, R.M.K. (2007). World Checklist of Dioscoreales. Yams and their allies: 1-65. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
^ Wilkin, P. & Thapyai, C. (2009). Flora of Thailand 10(1): 1-140. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
^ "Dioscorea communis [Tamaro]". luirig.altervista.org (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-01-23.
^ "Dioscorea in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
^ "Dioscorea in Flora of China @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
^ J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Turner and Henderson, Sydney.
^ ; Annette Hladik; Odile Weber; Claude Marcel Hladik; Vololoniana Jeannoda (September 2009). "Dioscorea orangeana (Dioscoreaceae), a new and threatened species of edible yam from northern Madagascar" (PDF). Kew Bulletin. 64 (3): 461–468. doi:10.1007/s12225-009-9126-2. ISSN 1874-933X. S2CID 43183514.
^ World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2011-05-28, search for "Tamus"
^ Stace, Clive (2010), New Flora of the British Isles (3rd ed.), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5, p. 854

Bibliography[]

Flora Europaea: Dioscorea
Flora of Pakistan: Dioscorea
Schols, P. 2004. Contributions to the palynology and phylogeny of Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae). PhD thesis KU Leuven.

[amber-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.

[2] Govaerts, R., Wilkin, P. & Saunders, R.M.K. (2007). World Checklist of Dioscoreales. Yams and their allies: 1-65. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

[3] Wilkin, P. & Thapyai, C. (2009). Flora of Thailand 10(1): 1-140. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.

[4] "Dioscorea communis [Tamaro]". luirig.altervista.org (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-01-23.

[5] "Dioscorea in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.

[6] "Dioscorea in Flora of China @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.

[7] J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Turner and Henderson, Sydney.

[8] ; Annette Hladik; Odile Weber; Claude Marcel Hladik; Vololoniana Jeannoda (September 2009). "Dioscorea orangeana (Dioscoreaceae), a new and threatened species of edible yam from northern Madagascar" (PDF). Kew Bulletin. 64 (3): 461–468. doi:10.1007/s12225-009-9126-2. ISSN 1874-933X. S2CID 43183514.

[9] World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2011-05-28, search for "Tamus"

[Stace2010-10] Stace, Clive (2010), New Flora of the British Isles (3rd ed.), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5, p. 854

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