Air Potato

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• aerial yam
• air-potato
• bitter yam
• cheeky yam
• potato yam
• air potato

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dioscorea bulbifera f. domestica
• Dioscorea sativa f. spontanea
• Dioscorea sativa f. domestica
• Dioscorea sativa var. rotunda
• Helmia bulbifera
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. heterophylla
• Polynome bulbifera
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. anthropophagorum
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. crispata
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. elongata
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. pulchella
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. sativa
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. suavia
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. vera
• Dioscorea anthropophagorum
• Dioscorea crispata
• Dioscorea hoffa
• Dioscorea hofika
• Dioscorea korrorensis
• Dioscorea longipetiolata
• Dioscorea latifolia
• Dioscorea sativa var. elongata
• Dioscorea rogersii
• Dioscorea pulchella
• Dioscorea perrieri
• Dioscorea tenuiflora
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. albotuberosa
• Dioscorea bulbifera var. simbha

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Dioscoreales, it is classified under the family Dioscoreaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Dioscorea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical presence within the region of West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing naturally in the country of Benin. Additionally, its distribution extends into the territory of Burkina. The species is also documented throughout Ghana and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its range includes the nation of Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dioscorea bulbifera is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, ranging from low-lying areas to high-altitude terrains. It occupies a broad elevational range, found at minimum altitudes of 20 m AMSL and reaching a maximum elevation of 2300 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence typically situated around 2000 m AMSL. Regarding its preferred habitats, this species is frequently observed in anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) as well as within the Cerrado (latu sensu) biome, demonstrating a capacity to thrive in both disturbed landscapes and natural seasonal tropical savannas.

Elevational range max:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

20 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Cerrado (lato sensu)

Genetics

The genetics of Dioscorea bulbifera are characterized by significant chromosomal variation and complex polyploid tendencies within the species. The chromosome number exhibits wide variability across different accessions and populations, with recorded values including 36, 40, 54, 60, 70, 80, 98, and 100. Despite this broad range of numerical fluctuations that suggest evolutionary complexity, the baseline ploidy level is identified as 2.

Chromosome number :

36, 40, 54, 60, 70, 80, 98 100

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Dioscorea bulbifera is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental periods by storing nutrients and energy within specialized underground structures, which facilitate its long-term survival. This survival strategy is further supported by its identity as a cryptophyte, meaning its vital regenerative organs are protected beneath the soil surface, shielding the plant from external stresses and enabling it to re-emerge during favorable conditions.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dioscorea bulbifera is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, specifically functioning as an independent, non-parasitic organism. It is a terrestrial plant that exhibits a climbing habit, specifically classified as an obligatory vine or liana. In terms of its vertical dimension, the plant displays significant variability in stature, with a height ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 10 meters, though it reaches a mean plant height of approximately 11 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

11 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Dioscorea bulbifera is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in varying light environments. The plant does not exhibit succulence, lacking the specialized water-storage tissues found in succulent species, and it is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nutrient availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Its foliage is defined by substantial morphological variation in leaf dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 24 cm, and leaf widths spanning from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 20 cm.

Leaf length max:

24 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

20 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dioscorea bulbifera is characterized by the development of specialized fruit structures and specific dispersal mechanisms. The plant produces fruit categorized as a capsule, which is a dehiscent type, meaning it splits open at maturity to release its contents. These capsules vary in size, with an average length of 2.25 cm (ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 3 cm) and an average width of 1 cm (ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm). The seeds contained within these fruits are remarkably consistent in mass, with a mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass all recorded at 0.00568 g. Regarding the dispersal of these reproductive units, the plant utilizes an autochorous syndrome, relying on self-dispersal mechanisms to distribute its seeds into the surrounding environment.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.25 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

1 cm

Fruit width min:

0.5 cm

Seed mass mean:

0.00568 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dioscorea bulbifera has 3 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, rhizome, fruit.

Leaf

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Rhizome

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Fruit

1. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Chemicals

Dioscorea bulbifera has 69 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Diosbulbin B, DIOSGENIN, 8-epidiosbulbin E acetate, Dioscin, STARCH.

Diosbulbin B

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Bioscience trends
4. Chemical research in toxicology
5. Toxins

DIOSGENIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology
4. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology

8-epidiosbulbin E acetate

1. Toxicology and applied pharmacology
2. Chemical research in toxicology
3. Toxicology letters

Dioscin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology

STARCH

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

2,4,5,6-Tetrahydroxyphenanthrene

1. Dr. Duke

2,4,6,7-tetrahydroxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene

1. Dr. Duke

3,7-Dimethoxy-5,3',4'-trihydroxyflavone

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

3,7-dimethoxy-5,4'-dihydroxyflavone

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

7-tetradecenal

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Activities

Dioscorea bulbifera has 194 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Analgesic, Antinociceptive.

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology
4. International journal of nanomedicine
5. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of nanomedicine
3. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Pharmaceutical nanotechnology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hepatotoxic

1. Toxins
2. Human & experimental toxicology

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Anorexic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Dioscorea bulbifera has 21 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include goiter, antidiabetic, carbuncles, inflammation, tumor.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations