EcoFlora - Dioscorea floridana

Dioscorea floridana Bartlett
Family: Dioscoreaceae Florida Yam University of Florida Herbarium	FNA Resources Lauren Raz in Flora of North America (vol. 26) Plants rhizomatous; rhizomes yellow, unbranched, horizontal, 0.5-1 cm or more diam., nodes articulate, each segment bearing 1 dark, contrasting, ± deltate scale leaf, scales brown and papery, caducous, each leaving dark, linear scar perpendicular to growing axis. Stems twining counterclockwise, ± polygonal to terete, 1-4 m, surface longitudinally grooved. Leaves alternate proximally (variation expected) and distally, 3-11 × 3-9 cm; petiole 3-8 cm, base not clasping; blade sometimes glandular, 7-9-veined, ovate-cordate to deltate, glabrous, margins entire or repand, apex acuminate. Staminate inflorescences (1-)2-5 in leaf axils, terminal, spicate to highly branched; cymes sessile, bearing 1-3 sessile flowers, bracteolate, internodes between cymes 2-5 mm, bracteoles linear-lanceolate, ca. 1 mm; rachis to 30 cm, secondary axes to 15 cm, subtended by linear-lanceolate bracts ca. 1-2 mm. Pistillate inflorescences borne singly, 4-20 or more-flowered, 4-25 cm, internodes 7-12 mm. Staminate flowers: perianth yellowish orange, rotate-campanulate to funnelform, 1-2 mm; tepals ± glandular, oblong, margins hyaline, apex (acute to) rounded or truncate; stamens in 2 equal whorls, inwardly curved; anthers ca. 1/3 length of filaments, thecae connate. Pistillate flowers: perianth as in staminate flowers; staminodes 6, differentiated into anthers and filaments, less than 1/2 size of fertile stamens. Capsules greenish gold, ovoid, obreniform, or oblong, 1.5-2.8 × 1.5-2.5 cm. Seeds 9-13 mm. Flowering late spring--mid summer; fruiting late summer. Edges of swamps, in hammocks, moist and dry (pine) forests and forest margins, sandy soils, lowlands; 0--100 m; Fla., Ga., S.C. Dioscorea floridana is undoubtedly a close relative of D. villosa, but because it is identifiable using characters that vary discretely, with states not manifest in plants occupying similar habitats outside of its range, I have chosen to retain it at the rank of species.
Open Interactive Map University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium University of Florida Herbarium Click to Display 100 Initial Media - - - - - View All Media