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Useful Tropical Plants

Dioscorea abyssinica

Hochst. ex Kunth

Dioscoreaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Dioscorea abyssinica
Developing fruits
Photograph by: Adjima Thiombiano; African plants - A Photo Guide
© Adjima Thiombiano
Dioscorea abyssinica Dioscorea abyssinica Dioscorea abyssinica Dioscorea abyssinica

General Information

Dioscorea abyssinica is a non-spiny climbing perennial plant producing stems up to 4 metres long from a tuberous rootstock. The stems twine right-handed around other plants for support, or scramble over the ground[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The edible tuber is harvested from the wild for local use. The plant is sometimes cultivated for its edible tuber in E Africa.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
HabitPerennial Climber
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details



This species is believed to be one of the parents of Dioscorea cayenensis[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Edible Uses

Tuber - cooked[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. Palatable[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. The tubers are thrust deep into the ground and are thus hard to obtain[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dioscorea+abyssinica>

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