Elephant's Foot

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Elephant's Foot

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dioscorea nepalensis
• Dioscorea deltoidea var. orbiculata
• Tamus nepalensis

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 is situated in the order Dioscoreales and the family Dioscoreaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Dioscorea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range spanning across several distinct regions in Asia. Within China, its distribution is primarily concentrated in the South-Central areas and the Tibet region. The species also extends into the Indian Subcontinent, where it is found in Assam and throughout the East Himalaya. Furthermore, its presence is recorded in the neighboring country of Bangladesh. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's preference for diverse subtropical and montane environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dioscorea deltoidea is defined by its broad distribution across a diverse range of altitudinal gradients, allowing it to inhabit varied mountain ecosystems. This species demonstrates remarkable adaptability to vertical shifts in climate and topography, occupying an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 450 m AMSL and extends to a maximum altitude of 4000 m AMSL. Throughout its natural habitat, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 3000 m AMSL, suggesting that it thrives most frequently within high-altitude montane or subalpine environments. This significant altitudinal span implies that the species can tolerate a wide spectrum of environmental variables, including fluctuations in temperature, atmospheric pressure, and moisture availability typical of varying mountain zones.

Elevational range max:

4000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

450 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Dioscorea deltoidea is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by retreating into specialized underground storage organs, which protect its vital structures from seasonal stressors. This survival strategy is further supported by its classification as a cryptophyte, indicating that its regenerative buds are located safely beneath the soil surface, ensuring its continued existence and ability to re-emerge during favorable climatic periods.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dioscorea deltoidea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory climber. It manifests as a vine or liana, requiring external support for upward progression rather than being self-supporting. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior, maintaining a terrestrial lifestyle rather than growing as an epiphyte.

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dioscorea deltoidea is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering window and uniform fruit development. The flowering period typically begins in June and continues through August, though the timing can be variable depending on environmental conditions. Following pollination, the plant produces fruits that exhibit highly consistent morphological dimensions; the fruit maintains a consistent size with a mean, minimum, and maximum length of 2 cm, as well as a mean, minimum, and maximum width of 2 cm, resulting in a compact, uniform fruit structure.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

2 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Dioscorea deltoidea has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include DIOSGENIN, Deltoside, CORTICOSTERONE, allantoin, polyphenols.

DIOSGENIN

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. PloS one
3. Heliyon

Deltoside

1. Nutrients
2. Prikladnaia biokhimiia i mikrobiologiia

CORTICOSTERONE

1. Heliyon

allantoin

1. Heliyon

polyphenols

1. Heliyon

Activities

Dioscorea deltoidea has 10 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Cardiovascular, Cytotoxic, Expectorant.

Antibacterial

1. Heliyon

Antioxidant

1. Heliyon

Cardiovascular

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Heliyon

Expectorant

1. Heliyon

Hepatoprotective

1. Heliyon

Hypocholesterolemic

1. Nutrients

Hypoglycemic

1. Nutrients

Sedative

1. Heliyon

Vermifuge

1. Heliyon

Conditions

Dioscorea deltoidea has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, acute pancreatitis, anemia, arthritis, autoimmune diseases.

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Heliyon

Acute pancreatitis

1. Heliyon

Anemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Arthritis

1. Heliyon

Autoimmune diseases

1. Heliyon

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Heliyon

Dermatitis

1. Heliyon

Diarrhea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Enteritis

1. Heliyon

Hyperglycemia

1. Nutrients

Preparations

Dioscorea deltoidea has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous suspensions of cell biomass, extracts in water and ethanol, tuber powder, vegetable.

Aqueous suspensions of cell biomass

1. Nutrients

Extracts in water and ethanol

1. Molecular informatics

Tuber powder

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Vegetable

1. Heliyon