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Dioscoreavillosa Linnaeus. Section:Macropoda. Wild Yam. Phen: Apr-Jun; Sep-Nov. Hab: Moist forests and woodlands. Dist: NJ, NY, s. ON, WI, MN, and IA south to n. FL and TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Various specific and infraspecific taxa are here combined. Ward (1977c) stated that "a recent study at Duke University by Shu-fun Au, unfinished due to the death of its author, tentatively recognized D. hirticaulis and D. floridana but combined all other entities without distinction under D. villosa". Further study is needed. Al-Shehbaz & Schubert (1989) indicate that the lectotype of D. villosa has pubescent stems; nomenclatural changes would apparently be needed if varietal status of the two named varieties of D. villosa proves warranted.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, ETx1, FNA26, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Tn, Va, WH3; = Dioscoreavillosa L.; > Dioscoreaglauca Muhl. ex Bartlett – S; > Dioscoreahirticaulis Bartlett – F, G, S, Ward (1977c); > Dioscoreaquaternata – C, F, G, K1, Mo1, NcTx, Pa, S, Tx, Al-Shehbaz & Schubert (1989), Ward (1977c); > Dioscoreaquaternata var. glauca (Muhl.) Fernald – Il, Tat; > Dioscoreaquaternata var. quaternata – Il; < Dioscoreavillosa L. – S13; > Dioscoreavillosa L. – F, G, Il, K1, Mo1, NcTx, Pa, S, Tat, Tx, W, Ward (1977c); > Dioscoreavillosa L. var. hirticaulis (Bartlett) H.E.Ahles – C, RAB, Al-Shehbaz & Schubert (1989); > Dioscoreavillosa L. var. villosa – C, RAB
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Perennial herbaceous vine found in moist hardwood forests.
Stems:Stems angled, twining, light green or reddish, smooth to sparsely hairy.
Leaves:Leaves alternate (sometimes whorled at base of vine), petiolate, heart-shaped with long tip, to 5 in. long, with 7-11 curved parallel veins, smooth above and short-furry beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers all male or all female on a single plant, in panicles (male) or racemes (female) from leaf axils, whitish-green to yellow-green and about 1/8 in. wide; male flowers with 6 tepals and 6 fertile stamens, female flowers with 6 tepals and a large ovary and 6 infertile stamens.
Fruits:Fruit a golden-green, 3-winged, ellipsoid capsule that becomes tan and papery in winter.
Comments:
Height:to 23 ft. long
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Perennial herbaceous vine found in moist hardwood forests.
stems:Stems angled, twining, light green or reddish, smooth to sparsely hairy.
leaves:Leaves alternate (sometimes whorled at base of vine), petiolate, heart-shaped with long tip, to 5 in. long, with 7-11 curved parallel veins, smooth above and short-furry beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers all male or all female on a single plant, in panicles (male) or racemes (female) from leaf axils, whitish-green to yellow-green and about 1/8 in. wide; male flowers with 6 tepals and 6 fertile stamens, female flowers with 6 tepals and a large ovary and 6 infertile stamens.
fruits:Fruit a golden-green, 3-winged, ellipsoid capsule that becomes tan and papery in winter.
