greater yam
Dioscorea alata L.
Dioscorea alata, known as greater yam, is a species of yam in the family Dioscoreaceae. It is native to the Asian and Oceanian tropics and is cultivated for its tubers, which range in color from vivid violet-purple to creamy-white. It is sometimes confused with taro and the Okinawa sweet potato beniimo, but is distinct from both. The plant is widely distributed across tropical regions and has been reported to grow to large sizes, with some varieties reaching lengths of up to 3.5 meters.
Description
Dioscorea alata is a species of yam with tubers that vary in color from bright purple to white. It is native to the tropics of Asia and Oceania and is cultivated in various regions for its edible tubers. The plant is known by multiple names, including ube, ubi, and uwhi. It is sometimes mistaken for taro or the Okinawa sweet potato beniimo, but it is a distinct species. The plant has a wide distribution, found in regions such as Brazil, the Pitcairn Islands, and several African and Caribbean countries. Some varieties of D. alata are known for their large size, with a specimen recorded at 3.5 meters in length in Papua New Guinea in 1939.
Other common names
Water yamgreater yamwhite yamyamten-months yamGuyana arrowrootwinged yamGreater YamsYams
Distribution
BR · Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta · TW · SC · CU · Pitcairn Islands · BI · CO · CD · TD · BF · KM · FM · JM · SR · AG · KN · MV · TZ · CM · ER · GY · DM · ST · GW · ML · TG · GN · AU · Curieuse
Synonyms
Dioscorea alata var. tarriDioscorea alata var. veraDioscorea atropurpureaDioscorea colocasiifoliaDioscorea eburinaDioscorea eburneaDioscorea globosaDioscorea javanicaDioscorea purpureaDioscorea rubellaDioscorea sapiniiDioscorea vulgarisElephantodon eburneusPolynome alataDioscorea alata var. globosaDioscorea alata var. purpureaDioscorea sapinii
