Black Bryony, Mandrake
Tamus communis

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A tall twining climber. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 4 m high and dies down to the underground tuber in autumn. The leaves are glossy green and oval or heart shaped. They have long stalks. The edges do not have teeth. There are 3-9 curved primary veins. The flowers are reddish-green. They are 3-6 mm long and in loose branched stalks with flowers developing from the bottom upwards. The male flowers have 6 broad lobes and 6 stamens. The female flowers have small lobes and a distinct ovary. The male and female flowers are on separate plants. The fruit is a round or oval shiny berry. It turns bright red when ripe.

There are 5 Tamus species.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean and temperate plant. It grows in fences and along hedgerows and in open woodland and beside streams.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Crete, Croatia, Europe, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, Serbia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The shoots are eaten after boiling and changing the water. The young shoots are added to pistic in Italy. They are stewed and also added to omelettes or salads. CAUTION: The berries are poisonous. The shoots must be cooked. The roots can contain calcium oxalate.

Edible parts

Tubers, root, sprouts, leaves, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bljust, Certlemik, Esparrago, Esparraguilla, Kir sarmasigi, Kukljar, Lupios, Sarmasik, Tamoro, Tarla sarmasigi, Yerba raposera

Synonyms

Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin;