Dioscoreaceae
Dioscorea
Dioscorea hirtiflora

Dioscorea hirtiflora subsp. pedicellata Milne-Redh.

First published in Kew Bull. 26: 573 (1972)
This subspecies is accepted
The native range of this subspecies is Uganda to S. Tropical Africa. It is a climbing tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2009). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 12 (part 2). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Type
Type Zambia, Chingola, ♂ fl. 19.xii.1955, Fanshawe 2661 (K holotype, SRGH).
Morphology Stem
Stems often pubescent, glabrescent only when mature
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels of male flowers 0.45–1.05 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Outer tepals pubescent on dorsal surface.
Ecology
In riverine vegetation, on termite mounds, and in open woodland and grassland with scattered trees; 200–1700 m.
Phenology
Flowering from January to March.
Conservation
Conservation notes Widespread taxon; not threatened.
Distribution
Some intermediate populations between the two subspecies are found in Mozambique and Malawi. Caprivi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Also in S Congo, W Tanzania and Uganda.
[FZ]

Uses

Use
The tubers are said to be a famine food by the Lozi in Zambia. Bulbils of the West/ Central African subspecies are edible.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0