Dioscorea

The twining tubers vary in colour and shape and can grow up to 1.5 meters in length and 70 kg in weigh. The stem can be up to 12 m long and may or may not bear aerial tubers (bulbils). Leaves are alternate or opposite, petiolate, simple or palmately compound (3-7-digitate), often cordate. The plant is dioecious and flowers are small and unisexual. Male inflorescence is an axillary spike or raceme, sometimes a terminal panicle, with campanulate perianth and 6 stamens. Female flowers are in 3.5-20 cm long axillary spikes, with widely opening 6-lobed perianth and 3, 6 or 0 staminodes. Fruit is a 3-lobed capsule, dehiscent apically at maturity. Seeds are flattened, sometimes winged.