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Dioscorea dumetorum
Also called African Bitter Yam, Cluster Yam
Dioscorea dumetorum, also known as the bitter yam, cluster yam, trifoliate yam, or three-leaved yam, is a species of flowering plant in the yam family, Dioscorea. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa and especially common in the tropical regions of West Africa, including Nigeria, Benin, and Ghana. D. dumetorum has both toxic and non-toxic varieties.
Dioscorea dumetorum grows in disturbed areas such as riverbanks, forest margins, termite mounds, and rocky areas.
Dioscorea dumetorum is a famine food in West Africa. It is frequently planted as a backup harvest in cases of crop failure. However, the regular use of D. dumetorum is limited due to its frequent toxicity and tendency to harden after harvesting.
Dioscorea abysmophila · Dioscorea abyssinica · Dioscorea acanthogene · Dioscorea acuminata · Dioscorea aesculifolia · Dioscorea aguilarii · Water yam · Dioscorea alatipes · Dioscorea althaeoides · Dioscorea amaranthoides · Dioscorea amazonum · Dioscorea analalavensis
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Dioscorea dumetorum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
