Dioscorea minutiflora

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A yam. It is a vine plant. The tubers are below a woody crown. They can be at the end of finger like projections. The stems twine to the right. They are round. The leaves are opposite and entire. They can be papery and prickly. There are no bulbils along the stem. The tubers keep developing from year to year.

There are about 650 species of Dioscorea.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in secondary clearings in rainforest in Congo. It is in humid areas and well-drained soils. It suits humid locations. In Kenya it grows between 1,500-2,400 m altitude. It is in areas with more than 700 mm rainfall.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

The tubers are roasted, boiled or fried.

It is a cultivated plant.

Edible parts

Tubers, root, vegetable

How it is grown

It is grown from the base of the hard branched stem base. The stems need supports to climb over.

Tubers can be harvested after 2-3 years. Plants can be left to grow for 20 years.

Its other names

Local names

Aha bayere, Bihama, Buki, Ekihama, Endika, Hazara, Ikeke, Kaama, Koukou, Kpeinkoh-leh, Kuku, Lepheyo, Lewa, Magoraza, Opheyipheyi, Oviazo

Synonyms

Dioscorea praehensilis Benth. in Hook.; Dioscorea acarophyta De Wild.; Dioscorea armata De Wild.; Dioscorea brevispicta De Wild.; Dioscorea cayenensis Jumelle; Dioscorea ealaensis De Wildemann; Dioscorea ealensis De Wild.; Dioscorea ekolo De Wild.; Dioscorea engbo De Wild.; Dioscorea grandibulbosa R. Knuth; Dioscorea hystrix R. Knuth; Dioscorea lilela De Wild.; Dioscorea litoie De Wild.; Dioscorea multiflora Mart.; Dioscorea pendula R. Knuth illeg.; Dioscorea praehensilis var. minutiflora (Engl.) Baker; Dioscorea praehensilis var. minutiflora Baker p.p.; Dioscorea pyraertioides De Wild.; Helmia multiflora (Mart.) R. Knuth;