OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Dioscoreales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Dioscorea alata   FAMILY Dioscoreaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Dioscorea alata   FAMILY Dioscoreaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America

Dioscorea alata

 

COMMON NAME:
Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org    bug_5126013

Month Unknown        

Rough oblong aerial tubers at leaf axils resemble miniature potatoes, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org    bug_5126028

Month Unknown        

Leaf sides continuously convex (vs. D. polystachya's sides w a concave portion, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org    bug_5126029

Month Unknown        

Dies back in winter but able to cover small trees in a year, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org     bug_5160048

Month Unknown        

Stems twining clockwise, climbing up to 20m, broadly winged, 4-angular, per Flora of North America.

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org     bug_5163005

Month Unknown        HI

Pistillate inflorescences solitary, 4-8(-20) flowered, 6-35cm, internodes ~1cm, per Flora of North America.

image of Dioscorea alata, Water Yam, White Yam, Great Yam, Winged Yam

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org     bug_5163009

Month Unknown        

Aerial tubers to 4" (10cm) long and 1.2" (3cm) wide, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Dioscorea alata   FAMILY Dioscoreaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Dioscorea alata   FAMILY Dioscoreaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Dioscorea alata

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

472

Herbaceous vine
Perennial
Dioecious

Habitat: Disturbed areas, in moist soils, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: southeast Asia

Rare in GA

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate or opposite

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Greenish-white
6 tepals
Unisexual

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME: