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Useful Tropical Plants

Dioscorea hirtiflora

Benth.

Dioscoreaceae

+ Synonyms

Dioscorea anthropophagorum sylvestris A.Chev.

Dioscorea dusenii Uline ex R.Knuth

Dioscorea lindiensis R.Knuth

Dioscorea polyantha Rendle

Dioscorea rubiginosa Benth.

Common Name:

Dioscorea hirtiflora
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Matthew Walters; African plants - A Photo Guide
© Matthew Walters
Dioscorea hirtiflora Dioscorea hirtiflora Dioscorea hirtiflora Dioscorea hirtiflora Dioscorea hirtiflora

General Information

Dioscorea hirtiflora is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant producing stems up to 6 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/
].
Although toxic, the tuber is sometimes gathered from the wild and eaten in times of shortage[
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 plant is said to be grown in Sierra Leone and N Nigeria, a practice that must surely be but a form of insurance against dearth[
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/
].

Known Hazards

The tubers are toxic and need to be treated before being eaten[
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/
].

Botanical References


Range

Tropical Africa - Sierra Leone, through DR Congo to Kenya, south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Habitat

Forests[
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/
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *
HabitPerennial Climber
Height5.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

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/
]. The tuber is caustic and is not normally eaten but can be detoxified and eaten in times of emergency[
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

The mashed up tuber is applied to freshly washed areas of scabies[
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 leaf-sap is taken by mouth to treat hard pus-filled abscesses[
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/
].

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+hirtiflora>

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