Dioscorea
-
Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
-
Family
Dioscoreaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Description - Dioecious vines, herbaceous or slightly woody. Stems cylindrical, angular or winged, sometimes provided with spines. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple or palmately lobed, 3-7(-14)-veined (veins arcuate, parallel), with long petioles and axillary bulbils. Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic, produced in axillary spikes, racemes, or panicles. Perianth minute; staminate flowers with 6 stamens or sometimes with 3 stamens and 3 staminodia; pistillate (lowers with 6 staminodia, the ovary inferior. Fruit capsular, chartaceous or coriaceous, 3-winged; seeds numerous, flattened and winged. A tropical and subtropical genus of about 600 species.