Common Name:

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[].
Although toxic, the tuber is sometimes gathered from the wild and eaten in times of shortage[]. 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[].

Known Hazards

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

Botanical References

Range

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

Habitat

Forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

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

Medicinal

The mashed up tuber is applied to freshly washed areas of scabies[].

The leaf-sap is taken by mouth to treat hard pus-filled abscesses[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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