Japanese Potato

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Japanese yam

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

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

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed throughout various regions of Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted in both the South-Central and Southeast territories. The species is also widely found across the islands of Japan, including the specific area of Ogasawara-shoto. Furthermore, its range extends into the Korean Peninsula. Together, these locations define the natural habitat of Dioscorea japonica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Dioscorea japonica 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 to underground storage organs, which protect its vital structures. This strategy classifies the species as a cryptophyte, as its regenerative buds are located safely below the soil surface, ensuring its continued existence and ability to re-emerge once favorable conditions return.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dioscorea japonica is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory climber, utilizing surrounding structures for vertical support. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and maintains a terrestrial lifestyle, anchoring itself in the soil rather than growing as an epiphyte. The plant's physical structure is defined by its herbaceous nature, lacking any woody tissue in its stems.

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dioscorea japonica involves the development of distinct fruits that exhibit specific morphological variations in size. The resulting fruits possess a characteristic length that typically averages around 1.75 cm, though they can range from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 2 cm. Similarly, the width of the fruit shows notable variability, with a mean measurement of 2.25 cm, fluctuating from a minimum width of 1.5 cm to a maximum width of 3 cm. These dimensional parameters define the physical profile of the reproductive structures produced by the plant.

Fruit length max:

2 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.75 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit width max:

3 cm

Fruit width mean:

2.25 cm

Fruit width min:

1.5 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Dioscorea japonica has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Lectin, Osteogenic.

Antioxidant

1. Current protein & peptide science

Lectin

1. Current protein & peptide science

Osteogenic

1. Current protein & peptide science

Conditions

Dioscorea japonica has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancers, cardiovascular diseases, depression, memory deficits, menopause.

Cancers

1. Current protein & peptide science

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Current protein & peptide science

Depression

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Memory deficits

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Menopause

1. Current protein & peptide science

Osteoporosis

1. Current protein & peptide science

Preparations

Dioscorea japonica has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include herbal mixture.

Herbal mixture

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences