Dioscorea sylvatica
Dioscorea sylvatica, commonly known as the forest yam, is a climbing medicinal plant native to shaded woodland habitats. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it is traditionally utilized in various herbal remedies to support digestive health and alleviate inflammation, offering significant therapeutic potential within the diverse genus of wild yams.
- Scientific name: Dioscorea sylvatica
- Family: Dioscoreaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Dioscoreales and the family Dioscoreaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Dioscorea.
| 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 sylvatiica, is referred to by several distinct common names depending on the linguistic context. In Chinese, it is identified by the names 蔓龟草 and 扁平龟甲龙, which reflect its traditional classification and characteristics within regional herbal medicine.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 蔓龟草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 扁平龟甲龙 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is found across several distinct regions within the African continent. In South Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Moving toward the southern portion of the continent, it also inhabits the Cape Provinces. Furthermore, the species is known to grow within the KwaZulu-Natal region of Southern Africa. Collectively, these locations define the specific geographical range of Dioscorea sylvatica.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Free State | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Eswatini | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Dioscorea sylvatica, is characterized by its specialized underground structures used for nutrient storage. The primary medicinal component is derived from the tuber, where the thick, protective tuber bark serves as a significant part of the plant's anatomy. This bark covers the fleshy interior of the tuber, acting as a protective layer for the starch-rich tissues within.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Tuber bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Dioscorea sylvatica has 4 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Dioscorea sylvatica has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include elephantiasis.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| elephantiasis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |