Dioscorea luzonensis
Family: Dioscoreaceae
What it is like
A yam with a twining vine with arrow shaped leaves. It twines to the right. The tubers are round and 5 cm across. The tubers can be 1 m deep in the soil. The flesh is white or pink. The stems do not have spines. The leaves are simple and usually alternate. The leaf stalk is as long as the blade. The leaf is heart shaped. It is 15 cm long and 12 cm across. The small flowers occur in spikes which grow in clusters from the axils of leaves. The male flowers curve upwards. There are 2-4 together. They are 7 cm long with about 60 flowers which do not have stalks. The female flower stalks are 22 cm long. The fruit are divided into thin half round lobes with thin winged seeds.
There are about 650 species of Dioscorea.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. In the Philippines found in Ilocos, Norte, Bontoc and Lepanto, Mt Province, La Union, Bulacan, Zambales, Rizal, Laguna and Batangas.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The tubers are cooked and eaten.
Edible parts
Tubers, root
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Kamangeg, Kamengeg, Mayat-bang, Pakit