Dioscorea prazeri

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A yam. It is a climbing vine 5 m long. The rhizome is 1-15 cm long by 2-9 cm wide. It is branched and spreading. It is shallowly buried and has a hard skin. The stems are 1-3 mm across and twine to the left. These re-grown each year. The leaves are simple and alternate. The leaf blade is broadly oval and has 5-7 veins. The base is heart shaped and it tapers to the tip. Occasionally there are bulbils of the stem where it is near the ground. These can be 2-3 cm long. The flowering shoots hang down.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in open areas in forests on limestone and occasionally on sandstone. It grows between 100-1,650 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

It is a famine food. It is only occasionally used.

Edible parts

Tuber, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Sehod

Synonyms

Dioscorea clarkei Prain & Burkill; Dioscorea deltoidea var. sikkimensis Prain; Dioscorea sikkimensis Prain & Burkill;