Dioscorea collettii
Dioscorea collettii, commonly known as Kolektia or wild yam, is a medicinal plant native to East Asia. Renowned in traditional medicine, its tubers contain bioactive compounds like diosgenin. These properties are utilized for their hormonal balancing effects, supporting reproductive health and managing various inflammatory conditions through natural phytotherapy.
- Scientific name: Dioscorea collettii
- Family: Dioscoreaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Dioscoreales, it is classified under the family Dioscoreaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Dioscorea, specifically as the species Dioscorea collettii.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Dioscoreales | WCVP |
| Family | Dioscoreaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Dioscorea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Dioscorea collettii, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Vietnamese, it is called Nần nghệ, while in Chinese, it is identified as 南華薯蕷. Specifically in Taiwan, the name used is 華南薯蕷, whereas in Simplified Chinese contexts, it is commonly known as 叉蕊薯蓣, a name also utilized in mainland China as 叉蕊薯蓣.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| vi | Nần nghệ | Wikidata |
| zh | 南華薯蕷 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 華南薯蕷 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 叉蕊薯蓣 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 叉蕊薯蓣 | Wikidata |
| vi | Nần vàng | Wikidata |
| zh | 九子不离母 | Wikidata |
| zh | 華南薯蕷 | Wikidata |
| zh | 萆薢 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions in East and Southeast Asia. Within China, it can be found growing in both the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its presence extends to the islands of Eastern Asia, specifically inhabiting Japan and Taiwan. Furthermore, the species is documented within the Indo-China region, notably in Laos. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where the species thrives.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
Chemicals
Dioscorea collettii has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include chloroform, diosgenin, ethyl-acetate, methanol, starch.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| chloroform | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diosgenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl-acetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| starch | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |