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Dioscorea deltoidea

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The leaves and flowers by Krishan Lal; Flowers of India.

Author: Nathaniel Wallich, 1842
Family:  DIOSCOREACEAE
Origin:  Assam, Bangladesh, China South-Central, Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam
Soil:  Rich
Water:  Medium - Maximum
Sun:  Minimum - Medium
Thickness:  20 Centimetres
Height:  3 Metres
Flower:  Cream - Whitish
Propagate:  Seeds
Names:  -
Synonyms:  Tamus nepalensis, Jacquem. ex Prain & Burkill.

This member of the Dioscoreaceae family was given this name by Nathaniel Wallich in 1842. It is found in forests of Assam, Bangladesh, south-central China, Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam and perhaps Afghanistan and Pakistan? It is growing in a rich soil with some water and little to some sun. The caudex can grow to 20 centimetres in diameter, the entire plant to three meters in height. The flowers are cream-white. This is yet another dioecious Dioscoreaceae: Either male or female plant.

Dioscorea is named after Pedianos Dioscorides, a Greek physician if the 1st century A.D. The species name means 'triangular'  for the petals. Like Greek letter Δ - delta.


The caudexes from Herbal Medicine.