Trees & Plants

Air potato

Assidhakattala

Dioscorea bulbifera L.

Occasional in natural habitats The plant is high in diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, which is used in the production of a number of synthetic steroidal hormones, such as those used in the manufacture of birth-control pills. It is also used in traditional medicine as a remedy in fo

Details

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uses: The plant is high in diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, which is used in the production of a number of synthetic steroidal hormones, such as those used in the manufacture of birth-control pills. It is also used in traditional medicine as a remedy in for piles, diarrhea, dysentery, conjunctivitis, fatigue and depression. Th reat & damage: As an invasive plant, D. bulbifera can smother and displace native species. It can interrupt functioning d, of natural ecosystems by forming a mat of vines and shading out trees and shrubs in the understory.
family: Dioscoreaceae
synonym: Helmia bulbifera (L.) Kunth., Dioscorea crispata Roxb.
description: Twiners with tuberous root stocks; stem terete, twining to left. Leaves 9-25 × 8-23 cm, ovate-suborbicular, base deeply cordate, apex acuminate to shortly caudate, membranous, glabrous, basally 9-11-ribbed; petiole to 20 cm long. Bulbils frequent in leaf axils and in inflorescence. Male flowers in slender, axillary panicled spikes, pendulous, for to 18 cm long; bracteoles ovate, acute. Tepals light green; lobes 6, biseriate, linear-oblong. Th Stamens 6, free. Female spikes 1-3 together; D. staminodes 3; ovary triquetrous, 3-locular, ovules 2-per locule; styles 3; stigma 2-fid, of × reflexed. Capsules 1.5-2.3 1-1.5 cm, oblong, 3-winged.
native range: Africa, Southern Asia and Northern Australia
distribution: Widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics
english names: Air potato · Bulb bearing yam · Potato yam
flowering fruiting: September - October
occurrence maldives: Occasional in natural habitats