Dioscorea sylvatica

Dioscorea sylvatica
Leaves and flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Dioscoreales
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Genus: Dioscorea
Species: D. sylvatica
Binomial name
Dioscorea sylvatica
Eckl.

Dioscorea sylvatica ("Forest Elephants Foot") is a species of a twining tuberous vine that is native to Africa. It is common and widespread in forest and thicket, throughout the summer rainfall areas of East and Southern Africa.

Description

It produces a distinctively flattened caudex, often with lobes that spread out.

The creeping shoots grow throughout most of the year, though each will periodically die back and be replaced from the central caudex root stock. In dryer conditions it can become deciduous. The green creeping foliage can reach 4 meters or more in height.

It is an extremely widespread and variable species, with several extremely distinct varieties.[1]

Threats and conservation

It is threatened from illegal collecting for traditional medicine, as well as for the horticultural trade. As a consequence it is listed as Vulnerable.[2]


References

  1. ↑ Plant encyclopedia article
  2. ↑ Dioscorea sylvatica - Redlist article
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This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/16/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.