Dioscorea bulbifera
L.
Taxonomy Family: Dioscoreaceae
Taxonomy Genus: Dioscorea
Synomns: D. anthropophagum Chev., D. hoffa Cordemoy, D.
sativa Thunb., D. sylvestris de Wild., Helmia bulbifera Kunth.
Common Names: air potato, bitter yam, air yam, Varahi, Kaachil, and Dukkar Kand
Leave Shape: Cordate (heart shaped) alternate on stem
Native Habitat:South Asia
Description:
Dioscorea bulbifera is a herbaceous twining vine that is capable of growing 20
metres (70 feet) in length. Bulbils are it's main way of reproduction, these being formed at the leaf axils and resembling a potato.
According to the USDA
this plant is classed as a noxious weed in Alabama and Florida .
D. alata is a similar plant and the two are often wrongly confused. The
differrence is that in D.alata the leaves are formed opposite to each other
hence the name winged.
The bulbil is said to be edible in the book Handbook of
Alternative Cash Crops by James A. Duke