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Dioscoreaceae

Dioscoreaceae
Dioscoreaceae image
Paul Rothrock
  • FNA
  • Resources
Lauren Raz in Flora of North America (vol. 26)
Vines [herbs], geophytes perennating from fleshy rhizomes or tubers. Stems renewed annually or occasionally persisting for more than a single growing season, twining-climbing, procumbent, or seldom erect; vascular bundles commonly arranged in 2 concentric circles. Leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled at basal nodes; blades simple or occasionally digitately compound, typically cordate, reticulate-veined; principal veins arcuate, ascending from base to apex; margins entire or sometimes palmately lobed; stipules absent, rarely stipulate, never with tendrils; petioles typically with distinct pulvinus at each end. Inflorescences axillary, solitary or in fascicles of 2-7, branched and paniculate, or unbranched and spicate or racemose, ultimate inflorescence unit cymose, sessile or pedunculate, often reduced to 1 flower. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate flowers on different plants, rarely staminate and pistillate flowers on same plant or bisexual; perianth epigynous, rotate, campanulate, or funnelform; tepals 6, petaloid, in 2 similar whorls of 3, connate at least basally; stamens 6, in 2 whorls of 3, inner whorl sometimes sterile or absent; filaments distinct [connate basally or completely into tube], inserted at base of perianth; anthers 2-locular, tetrasporangiate, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, thecae distinct or sometimes connate, rarely divided by a long-appendiculate connective; pistils 3; ovary (1-)3-locular, ovules anatropous, 2(-many) per locule, placentation axile or parietal; styles 3, ± distinct. Fruits capsular, rarely baccate or samarate, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds flattened or globose, winged or unwinged, embryo small, endosperm copious, starchless.

Circumscription of the Dioscoreaceae remains controversial. A strict interpretation of the family, adhering to the original taxonomic concept of R. Brown, would include only Dioscorea Linnaeus (ca. 600 species), Tamus Linnaeus (5 species, Mediterranean), and Rajania Linnaeus (25 species, West Indies); recent systematic studies by L. R. Caddick et al. (2000) portray Dioscorea as subsuming the latter two genera. In its broad sense (I. H. Burkill 1960; L. R. Caddick et al. 2000; R. Knuth 1924), the family includes the bisexual genera Avetra H. Perrier (1 species, Madagascar), Trichopus Gaertner (1 species, Indo-Malaysia), and Stenomeris Planchon (2 species, Malaysia), each of which has also been recognized at the family level (R. M. T. Dahlgren et al. 1985; J. Hutchinson 1973; A. L. Takhtajan 1997). Tacca J. R. Forster & G. Forster (10 species, Malaysia; Taccaceae) is closely allied with Avetra and Trichopus, (L. R. Caddick et al. 2000) and the broadest interpretation of the Dioscoreaceae (adopted here) includes Tacca as well. Only Dioscorea is represented in the flora.

Species within inventory project: Arizona Flora || << 1 - 50 taxa >>
Dioscorea abyssinica
Media
not available
Dioscorea acanthogene
Media resource of Dioscorea acanthogene
Dioscorea acarophyta
Media
not available
Dioscorea aguilarii
Media
not available
Dioscorea alainii
Media resource of Dioscorea alainii
Dioscorea alata
Media resource of Dioscorea alata
Dioscorea albicaulis
Media resource of Dioscorea albicaulis
Dioscorea altissima
Media resource of Dioscorea altissima
Dioscorea amara
Media resource of Dioscorea amara
Dioscorea amazonum
Media
not available
Dioscorea ancachsensis
Media resource of Dioscorea ancachsensis
Dioscorea aspera
Media resource of Dioscorea aspera
Dioscorea asteriscus
Media
not available
Dioscorea auriculata
Media
not available
Dioscorea baracoensis
Media
not available
Dioscorea bartlettii
Media resource of Dioscorea bartlettii
Dioscorea baya
Media
not available
Dioscorea bemarivensis
Media
not available
Dioscorea benthamii
Media resource of Dioscorea benthamii
Dioscorea berenicea
Media
not available
Dioscorea bernoulliana
Media resource of Dioscorea bernoulliana
Dioscorea brachybotrya
Media resource of Dioscorea brachybotrya
Dioscorea buchananii
Media
not available
Dioscorea bulbifera
Media resource of Dioscorea bulbifera
Dioscorea burkilliana
Media resource of Dioscorea burkilliana
Dioscorea campestris
Media resource of Dioscorea campestris
Dioscorea carionis
Media resource of Dioscorea carionis
Dioscorea carpomaculata
Media
not available
Dioscorea caucasica
Media resource of Dioscorea caucasica
Dioscorea caucensis
Media resource of Dioscorea caucensis
Dioscorea cayenensis
Media
not available
Dioscorea cayennensis
Media resource of Dioscorea cayennensis
Dioscorea chiapasensis
Media resource of Dioscorea chiapasensis
Dioscorea chondrocarpa
Media
not available
Dioscorea cirrhosa
Media
not available
Dioscorea claessensii
Media
not available
Dioscorea cochleariapiculata
Media
not available
Dioscorea collettii
Media resource of Dioscorea collettii
Dioscorea communis
Media resource of Dioscorea communis
Dioscorea composita
Media resource of Dioscorea composita
Dioscorea convolvulacea
Media resource of Dioscorea convolvulacea
Dioscorea conzattii
Media
not available
Dioscorea cordata
Media resource of Dioscorea cordata
Dioscorea coriacea
Media resource of Dioscorea coriacea
Dioscorea coronata
Media resource of Dioscorea coronata
Dioscorea cotinifolia
Media
not available
Dioscorea crotalariifolia
Media resource of Dioscorea crotalariifolia
Dioscorea cruzensis
Media resource of Dioscorea cruzensis
Dioscorea cubensis
Media resource of Dioscorea cubensis
Dioscorea cumingii
Media resource of Dioscorea cumingii
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This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MG-70-19-0057-19].

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