Ubi kelonak
Dioscorea prainiana

Family: Dioscoreaceae

What it is like

A yam. It keeps growing from year to year by sprouting from the tubers. The stems do not have thorns. The stems grow 16 m long. They twine to the right. There is one tuber. It is a flattened round shape. It can be 30 cm long and 15 cm wide. It grows at the end of a stalk and can be 30 cm in the soil. It has yellow flesh. It does not have bulbils. The leaves are simple and soft. They occur alternately on thin stems. They occur opposite on thicker stems. The leaf stalk is 6 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 15 cm long by 7 cm wide. The male flowering stalks are 60 cm long. The female flowering stalks are 50 cm long. The capsule is large and has wings.

There are about 650 species of Dioscorea.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows up to 500 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The tubers are boiled or roasted and eaten.

Edible parts

Tubers, root

How it is grown

A tuber can weigh 20 kg.

Its other names

Local names

Kelana, Kelunoh, Ubi kelonak

Synonyms

Dioscorea deflexa Hook.f., non Grisebach; Dioscorea maliliensis R. Knuth.;