Dioscorea cayennensis (unjustified correction)

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Lagos yam
• attoto yam
• twelve-months yam
• yellow Guinea yam
• yellow yam

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Dioscoreales and the family Dioscoreaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Dioscorea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across several regions within West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its presence has been documented in the country of Benin. It can also be found growing within the borders of Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species extends its range to include Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical reach includes the nation of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dioscorea cayennensis is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse Brazilian ecosystems, ranging from the semi-arid Caatinga (strictu sensu) and the seasonal Cerrado (lato sensu) to more humid environments such as Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, and Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). It is also found in coastal Restinga habitats, demonstrating a versatile niche capacity across various moisture gradients. This species occupies a wide altitudinal spectrum, occurring from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 700 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Caatinga (stricto sensu), Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Restinga

Life history

The life history of Dioscorea cayenensis is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a member of the cryptophyte life form, it relies on specialized underground structures to survive unfavorable environmental conditions, ensuring its long-term presence in its habitat. Specifically, the plant functions as a geophyte, storing essential nutrients and moisture within its tuberous rhizomes located beneath the soil surface, which enables it to regenerate and emerge during each new vegetative cycle.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dioscorea cayenensis is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, specifically classified as a forb. This plant functions as an obligatory climber, though it maintains a self-supporting habit within its environment. It is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies, and operates as an independent organism rather than a parasite. In terms of scale, the plant can reach a significant height, with a mean plant height recorded at approximately 10.67 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10.6666666666667 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Dioscorea cayennensis is characterized by its specialized metabolic processes designed for survival in tropical environments, primarily centered on its robust tuberous root system which functions as a major sink for starch accumulation and nutrient storage. The plant exhibits complex carbohydrate metabolism, converting photosynthates produced in its leaves through photosynthesis into complex polysaccharides within the tubers to support dormancy and subsequent regrowth. Regarding its interaction with soil nutrients, the plant does not possess the physiological mechanisms required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation; therefore, it is not a nitrogen fixer, as it lacks the specialized root nodules and the biological partnership with diazotrophic bacteria necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form. Instead, its nitrogen uptake is entirely dependent on the absorption of nitrates and ammonium ions present in the soil solution through its root hair system. The plant's water relations and transpiration rates are regulated by stomatal movements that balance gas exchange for carbon fixation against the risk of desiccation, a critical physiological adaptation for maintaining turgor pressure in its sprawling vine structure.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Dioscorea cayenensis primarily occurs through both sexual and asexual mechanisms, ensuring both genetic diversity and rapid vegetative spread. Sexually, the plant produces monoecious flowers, meaning both male and female reproductive organs are present on separate flowers within the same plant. A critical aspect of its sexual reproductive biology is that self-fertilization is absent; instead, the species relies on cross-pollination, typically facilitated by insects, to ensure genetic recombination. This absence of self-fertilization promotes higher genetic variability among offspring. Asexually, the plant exhibits robust vegetative reproduction through its tuberous rhizomes. These underground storage organs serve as primary propagules, allowing the plant to persist through unfavorable seasons and colonize new areas effectively by producing new shoots from the existing tuberous structures.

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Dioscorea cayenensis has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Asperin, Gracillin, LINAMARIN.

Asperin

1. Planta medica

Gracillin

1. Planta medica

LINAMARIN

1. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

Conditions

Dioscorea cayenensis has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, menopause.

Cancers

1. Current protein & peptide science

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Current protein & peptide science

Diabetes mellitus

1. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

Diabetic nephropathy

1. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

Menopause

1. Current protein & peptide science

Osteoporosis

1. Current protein & peptide science