Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Dioscorea villosa
Wild yam
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Dioscorea quaternata, Dioscorea quaternata var. quaternata

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
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F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes, tubers

Shoots: simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Other leaf venation; orbicular and peltate leaf shape

Inflorescence: spike

Flowers: unisexual, dioecious; 3 merous; complete, regular; yellow, green; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: capsule

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in rich or rocky woods along bluffs, on talus slopes. Species is distributed in rich or rocky woods, in ravines, at bluff bases, and valleys. It is also distributed in mixed forests, especially where there has been moderate disturbance - Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus americana, Prunus serotina and P. virginiana; Quercus alba, Q. rubra, Tilia americana - often where railroad goes through wooded area.

ILPIN Notes: Species is only found in southern third of Illinois. See geographic comments.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 5
  • Chicago Area:

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