Greater yam
Dioscorea alata
Also known as Asiatic yam, Yam, Water yam, White yam
About Greater yam
Dioscorea alata – also called ube, ubi, uwhi, purple yam, or greater yam, among many other names – is a species of yam (a tuber). The tubers are usually a vivid violet-purple to bright lavender (hence the common name), but some range from creamy-white to plain white. Although it is sometimes confused with taro and the Okinawa sweet potato beniimo (紅芋) (Ipomoea batatas 'Ayamurasaki'), D. alata is also grown in Okinawa. Its origins are in the Asian and Oceanian tropics. Some varieties attain to great size. A "Mambatap" greater yam grown in Maprik, East Sepik District, Papua New Guinea around 1939 was 3.5 m (11 ft) in length.
Description adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Dioscorea alata
- Genus
- Dioscorea
- Family
- DIOSCOREACEAE
- Habit
- Climber
- Habitat
- Dry deciduous forests
- Distribution
- Cultivated in tropics
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Local Names
- Hindi
- चुपड़ी आलू Chupri alu, Kada kanda
- Nepali
- घर तरुल Ghar tarul
- Bengali
- চুপড়ি আলু Chupri Alu, গাছ আলু Gaach Alu, গাছ আলু
- Tamil
- Chirakavalli, Iyamkilanku, Kappa-kavali
- Telugu
- పెండలం
- Kannada
- Dandaanu, Dappa genasu, Hennu genasu
- Malayalam
- Kachchil, Kachil, Katsjil-kelengu
- Marathi
- Chinem, Chipari-aalu, Goradu
Dioscoreaceae
Yam Family
Greater yam belongs to the Dioscoreaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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