Dioscorea dumetorum (Kunth) Pax

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

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

Photo: David Gwynne-Evans
Lower slopes Mt Mabu

Photo: Bart Wursten
Whaleback near Zembe along Sussundenga road

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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.
Type location:	Ethiopia
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In woodland, often persisting in cleared areas.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Oct - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa
FZ divisions:	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
Images 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. Champluvier, D. (1988). Dioscoreaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume IV Page 92. (Includes a picture). 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. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 104. 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:

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Flora of Burundi: Dioscorea dumetorum
Flora of Malawi: Dioscorea dumetorum
Flora of Rwanda: 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