Dioscorea filiformis

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A yam. It keeps growing from year to year by growing from the tubers. The stems are round and do not have thorns. They twine to the right. It often has bulbils. The tubers are long and narrow. They are 50 cm long by 2 cm across. The flesh is white. The leaves are simple or mostly alternate but can be opposite on larger stems. The leaf stalk is shorter than the blade. Leaves can be 10 cm long by 7 cm wide. The base is ear shaped. The male flower stalks are leafless and zig zag. Female flower stalks are 20 cm long. The capsules have wings.

There are about 650 species of Dioscorea.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowland often on limestone cliffs.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

The tubers are boiled and eaten.

It is an important food in Peninsula Thailand.

Edible parts

Tubers, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aroi huwi curuk, Balun, Dudung, Kiroi, Kiru, Man-thian, Ma thien, Phak-maeo-daeng, Wauh

Synonyms

Dioscorea gibbiflora Hook.f.; Dioscorea myriantha Kunth.;