Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Dioscoreales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Dioscorea bulbifera
FAMILY
Dioscoreaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Dioscorea bulbifera
FAMILY
Dioscoreaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Dioscorea bulbifera
COMMON NAME:
Air Yam, Air Potato
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Fred Nation, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Bugwood.org - bug_9005054
July
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_9005052
December
Aerial tubers to 5" (12cm) long, spherical to ovoid, smooth with dimples, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).
)
USDA APHIS PPQ - Oxford, North Carolina , USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org bug_1148132
Month Unknown
)
USDA APHIS PPQ - Oxford, North Carolina , USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org bug_1148133
Month Unknown
Leaf blade broadly ovate-cordate, glabrous, entire, apex long-acuminate, per Flora of North America.
)
Karen Brown, University of Florida, Bugwood.org bug_5344015
Month Unknown
)
Karen Brown, University of Florida, Bugwood.org bug_5344015b
Month Unknown
Flowers rarely, with fragrant spikes to 4" long hanging from leaf axils, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Dioscorea bulbifera
FAMILY
Dioscoreaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Dioscorea bulbifera
FAMILY
Dioscoreaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Dioscorea bulbifera
474
Herbaceous vine
Perennial
Dioecious
Habitat: Disturbed forests, thickets, and banks, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Africa & Asia
Rare or waif(s)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Forest Health Assessment & Applied Sciences Team: New Invaders of the Southeast
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Greenish-white
6 tepals
Unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p211
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p062
- New Invaders of the Southeast (Rawlins et al., 2018) p061
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".