Dioscorea bulbifera L.

Air Yam; Air Potato

Vine

Perennial

Vascular

Air Potato is an introduced vining perennial in the Yam family (Dioscoreaceae). It is the most widespread member of the genus and is thought to be native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia. In Alabama it is sometimes cultivated for a fast growing shade vine or curiosity. Air Potato has been collected as an escape in the southern third of the state. It often occurs on disturbed sites such as forest edges along roads, on fence rows, and in disturbed woodlands. Air Potato is an herbaceous twining vine from tuberous or cord-like roots. The stems are round or with narrow wings, green or spotted with purple in color, and up to 30 feet in length. The stems climb by twining counter-clockwise. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, ovate-cordate in outline, glabrous, and have entire margins. There are 5-11 large veins that arch outwards from the petiole. The apex of the leaf is long acuminate and forms a “drip tip”. Drip tips are common in tropical species from areas of high rainfall and are thought to aid to removing excess water from the surface of the leaf. Air Potato forms bulbils in the axils of the leaves. These bulbils are brown or gray in color and vary in shape from round to elongate. These bulbils range in size from less than an inch to as large as a soft ball. They serve as a form of vegetative reproduction and grow into new vines when they fall to the forest floor. The bulbils are consumed by humans in some parts of the world. There are several varieties of Air Potato and some contain toxins in the bulbils that must be removed by processing before they can be safely eaten. Caution is advised when consuming any unfamiliar plant. Air Potato has not been observed to flower in Alabama. The starchy tuberous roots of Dioscorea are consumed in many tropical counties where they are called “Yams”. Some Americans refer to the tuberous roots of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (Linnaeus) Lamarck) as a yam. The two species are not closely related. Air Potato is listed as an invas

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Not Native

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