Dioscorea dumetorum (Kunth) Pax

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (22)

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
School site Nhancuco, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
School site Nhancuco, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from EN1 to entrance gate Gorongosa National Park

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from EN1 to entrance gate Gorongosa National Park

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from EN1 to entrance gate Gorongosa National Park

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: David Gwynne-Evans
Lower slopes Mt Mabu

Dioscorea dumetorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Whaleback near Zembe along Sussundenga road

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Dioscorea triphylla L. var. dumetorum (Kunth) R. Knuth
Helmia dumetorum Kunth
Common names: Wild yam (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Robust climber with annual stems up to 10 m long, growing from a tuber. Tuber solitary and deeply lobed, spheroid or ovoid, or several.in a tight cluster. Stems left twining, velvety, with or without short prickles. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets large, up to 12 cm long, bright green and slightly hairy above, paler and densely velvety below; lateral leaflets distinctly asymmetric with long, abruptly acuminate tips. Flowers in branched inflorescences, unisexual. Male flowers green; female flowers white. Fruit c. 40 × 25 mm, slightly velvety, winged near the base.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: In woodland, often persisting in cleared areas.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:Oct - Jan
Worldwide distribution: Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa
Mozambique distribution: N,Z,MS
Growth form(s): Climber.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Sunday 22 July 2012
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 305.

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 125.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 90.

Milne-Redhead, E. (1975). Dioscoreaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 21 - 22.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 113.

Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 59. (Includes a picture).

White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 96 - 97. (Includes a picture).

Wilkin, P. (2009). Dioscoreaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 123 - 125. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Dioscorea dumetorum:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Dioscorea dumetorum
Flora of Malawi: Dioscorea dumetorum
Flora of Zambia: Dioscorea dumetorum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Dioscorea dumetorum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dioscorea dumetorum
African Plant Database: Dioscorea dumetorum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dioscorea dumetorum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dioscorea dumetorum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dioscorea dumetorum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Dioscorea dumetorum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dioscorea dumetorum
JSTOR Plant Science: Dioscorea dumetorum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dioscorea dumetorum
Plants of the World Online: Dioscorea dumetorum
Tropicos: Dioscorea dumetorum
Wikipedia: Dioscorea dumetorum


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave 2007-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Mozambique: Species information: Dioscorea dumetorum.
https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=115400, retrieved 19 March 2024

Site software last modified: 24 September 2019 10:58am
Terms of use