Dioscorea karatana
Family: Dioscoreaceae
What it is like
A yam. The vine is slender and twining. It grows to about 3 m long. It has a fleshy tuber. The tubers can be buried 1.5 m deep. They can be 3 m long and 10 cm thick. It has lobes towards the end. The flesh is white. The stems twine to the left. The leaves are alternate and 6 cm long by 3 cm wide. They narrow to a long tip. The leaves are dark green above and more pale underneath.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Madagascar
How it is used for food
The tuber is cooked and eaten without other processing.
Edible parts
Tuber, root