Dioscorea sylvatica Eckl.

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Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
Maonza, Vumba

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
Maonza, Vumba

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
Maonza, Vumba

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
At the base of the hills, Valley of Kings, Mutare

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
At the base of the hills, Valley of Kings, Mutare

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
At the base of the hills, Valley of Kings, Mutare

Dioscorea sylvatica

Picture: Bart Wursten
At the base of the hills, Valley of Kings, Mutare

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Dioscorea brevipes Burtt-Davy
Dioscorea marlothii R. Knuth
Dioscorea montana (Burch.) Spreng var. lobata Weim.
Dioscorea montana (Burch.) Spreng var. sagittata Suess.
Dioscorea montana (Burch.) Spreng var. glauca R. Knuth
Dioscorea rehmanni Baker
Dioscorea sylvatica (Kunth) Eckl. var. sylvatica
Dioscorea sylvatica (Kunth) Eckl. var. brevipes (Burtt Davy) Burkill
Testudinaria multiflora Marloth
Testudinaria paniculata Dummer
Testudinaria sylvatica Kunth
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Slender left-twining herb with annual stems growing from a tuber. Leaves alternate, distinctly heart-shaped, often almost appearing 2-lobed at the base, tapering to a long point at the apex. Flowers in lax, pendulous racemes up to 12 cm long, unisexual, creamy white. Fruit a 4-winged capsule, up to 2.8 × 2 cm.
Type location:
South Africa, Cape Province
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: sylvatica: sylvan, forest-loving
Habitat: In margins of forest and in bracken or ericoid scrub.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:Nov - Feb
Worldwide distribution: Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): N,C,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces): Lk,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 21. As Dioscorea sylvatica sylvatica

Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 82 - 83. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 90. as D. sylvatica var. sylvatica and D. sylvatica var. brevipes

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 514 - 515. (Includes a picture).

Wilkin, P. (2009). Dioscoreaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 136 - 137. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Dioscorea sylvatica:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Dioscorea sylvatica
Flora of Zimbabwe: Dioscorea sylvatica

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dioscorea sylvatica
African Plant Database: Dioscorea sylvatica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dioscorea sylvatica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dioscorea sylvatica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dioscorea sylvatica
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Dioscorea sylvatica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dioscorea sylvatica
JSTOR Plant Science: Dioscorea sylvatica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dioscorea sylvatica
Plants of the World Online: Dioscorea sylvatica
Tropicos: Dioscorea sylvatica
Wikipedia: Dioscorea sylvatica


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Dioscorea sylvatica.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=115460, retrieved 19 March 2024

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