Ghost's benzoin climber
Dioscorea laurifolia

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A yam. It keeps growing from year to year by sprouting from the tubers. It is a slender plant. The vines do not have thorns and they twine to the right. There are 1-2 tubers which do not go very deeply into the soil. The flesh is pink or red. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are rough. The leaf stalk is less than half the length of the blade. The leaf blade is oval to sword shaped but varies. The leaf can be 16 cm long by 5 cm wide. The male flowers curve upwards. They can be 7 cm long with 40-60 flowers without stalks. The male flowers have a scent. The female flowers occur as 2 together and are 10 cm long. The flowers have a smell of benzoin.

There are about 650 species of Dioscorea.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the mountains in Peninsula Malaysia. It grows up to 1200 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Tubers, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Akar kemahang, Akar kemenyan hantu, Clangporn, Eghen ngegek, Kemenyan batu, Serunding

Synonyms

Dioscorea laurifolia var. hookeri R. Knuth;