Dioscoreaceaes

The Dioscoreaceae are a family of monocotyledonous plants, shrubs, herbaceous plants or lianas, rhizomatous or tuberous. It is in this family that we find yams , several species of the genus Dioscorea which are eaten as a substitute for potato in tropical regions and are often confused with sweet potato. Some of the different yams include, for example:

• the winged yam, large yam, cambarre, ( Dioscorea alata ) traditionally cultivated from India to Southeast Asia via Madagascar;
• the yellow Guinea yam, cayenne yam or big-headed yellow yam ( Dioscorea cayennensis );
• creeping yam ( Dioscorea convolvulacea );
• white yam or small yam ( Dioscorea esculenta );
• Japanese yam ( Dioscorea japonica );
• Chinese yam ( Dioscorea polystachya );
• White Guinea yam ( Dioscorea rotundata );
• the hoffe, bulbiferous yam, apple in the air or masako ( Dioscorea bulbifera );
• etc.