DIOSCOREA L. (=TAMUS L.)YAM

DIOSCOREA L. (=TAMUS L.) - YAM

Scientific Description:

Herbaceous climbers with large fleshy tubers. Leaves alternate. Flowers actinomorphic, in axillary racemes. Staminate flowers narrowly or broadly campanulate, perianth lobes subequal; stamens 6, adnate to base of perianth. Pistillate flowers urceolate, perianth persistent, lobes narrow. Ovary inferior. Fruit a berry; seeds globose, unwinged.

Reference:
Davis PH (1984). Tamus L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 552.

Public Description:

Dioscorea, commonly known as “yam”, is native throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. There are approximately 613 species in the world and 1 species (1 taxa) in Türkiye. The genus name is attributed to the famous ancient Greek physician and botanist Pedianos Dioscorides (M.S. 40-90) who lived in Anatolia. The small flowers that come out of the leaf axils are found in spike or raceme. They have often heart-shaped leaves and berry-like fruit or winged capsule. A few species are cultivated as ornamentals.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2018). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioscorea, Accessed date: 01.02.2018.

Anonymous 2 (2018). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Dioscoreaceae/Dioscorea/, Accessed date: 01.02.2018.

Anonymous 3 (2018). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=Dioscorea, Accessed date: 01.02.2018.

Anonymous 4 (2018). https://www.britannica.com/plant/Dioscoreaceae, Accessed date: 01.02.2018.

Ekim T (2012). Dioscorea L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 408.