Dioscorea sansibarensis Pax

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Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyaodza River bridge (northern end), Matiti Pool, near Kariba

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyaodza River bridge (northern end), Matiti Pool, near Kariba

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyaodza River bridge (northern end), Matiti Pool, near Kariba

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Long Pool picnic view point, Mana Pools National Park

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
At main office, Mana Pools National Park.

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
At main office, Mana Pools National Park.

Dioscorea sansibarensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
At main office, Mana Pools National Park.

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Dioscorea macroura Harms
Dioscorea welwitschii Rendle
Common names:
Frequency: Locally frequent
Status: Native
Description:
Robust climber with annual stems up to 30 m long, growing from a large perennial tuber, up to 50 cm in diameter. Stems left-twining, hairless, usually unarmed; bulbils, up to 5.5 cm in diameter, often present in the axils. Leaves normally opposite. Mature leaves broadly heart-shaped up to 20 cm long including a long apical point, up to 6.3 cm long; hairless; margin entire, inrolled and thickened. Immature leaves much smaller and thinner, with 3-9 more or less deep lobes, particularly towards the base. Petiole 8-12(25) cm long, with a pair of fleshy oblong lateral nodal flanges, often almost entirely replacing the leaves near the base of older stems. Inflorescences in lax pendent, axillary spikes. Capsule up to 5 × 2.8 cm, blue-green, especially when young.
Notes: Apparently rarely seen in flower.
Derivation of specific name: sansibarensis: of Zanzibar; although the type specimen was in fact found near Bagamoyo, Tanzania, across from Zanzibar on the mainland.
Habitat: Riverine forest, often close to water.
Altitude range: (metres) 200 - 650 m
Flowering time:Feb - Apr
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in Subsaharan Africa and Madagascar.
Zimbabwe distribution: N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Friday 2 December 2011
Literature:

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 90.

Milne-Redhead, E. (1975). Dioscoreaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 7 - 9. (Includes a picture).

White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 97. (Includes a picture).

Wilkin, P. (2009). Dioscoreaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 133 - 134.


Other sources of information about Dioscorea sansibarensis:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Flora of Mozambique: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Flora of Zambia: Dioscorea sansibarensis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dioscorea sansibarensis
African Plant Database: Dioscorea sansibarensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dioscorea sansibarensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dioscorea sansibarensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dioscorea sansibarensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Dioscorea sansibarensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dioscorea sansibarensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Plants of the World Online: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Tropicos: Dioscorea sansibarensis
Wikipedia: Dioscorea sansibarensis


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Dioscorea sansibarensis.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=115440, retrieved 31 October 2024

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