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Dioscorea schimperiana
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Castleburn Forest, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Castleburn Forest, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani 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 hockii De Wild. Dioscorea stellato-pilosa De Wild. |
| Common names: | Mutendeni (Shona) |
| Frequency: | Common |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Twining climber with annual, right-twining, unarmed stems, growing from a perennial fleshy tuber. Leaves usually opposite, 10-20 cm long, heart-shaped, covered in stellate hairs, more densely so below. Flowers in pendent, axillary spikes, unisexual. Bulbils often present, particularly at flowering time, axillary, c. 1 cm in diameter, globose to ovoid, tuberculate, dark brown. Fruit 4-winged capsule, up to 2.4 × 3.9 cm, papery when dry. |
| Notes: | This species is among several, which produces fertile bulbils along the stem. These bulbils are occasionally eaten in Zimbabwe, particularly in times of food shortage. |
| Derivation of specific name: | schimperiana: although several other persons named Schimper are known in botanical history most species and genera are likely named after Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Schimper (1804-1878) who collected mainly in Ethiopia. |
| Habitat: | Along forest margins, and Brachystegia woodland, among rocks and on riverbanks and termite mounds, often in more open or disturbed areas. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Dec - Mar |
| Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C,E,S |
| 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: | Sunday 23 October 2011 |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 21. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 125. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 23. 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. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 79. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 97 - 98. (Includes a picture). Wilkin, P. (2009). Dioscoreaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 134 - 136. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 82. |
Other sources of information about Dioscorea schimperiana:
Our websites:
Flora of Burundi: Dioscorea schimperianaFlora of Malawi: Dioscorea schimperiana
Flora of Mozambique: Dioscorea schimperiana
Flora of Zambia: Dioscorea schimperiana
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dioscorea schimperianaAfrican Plant Database: Dioscorea schimperiana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dioscorea schimperiana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dioscorea schimperiana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dioscorea schimperiana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Dioscorea schimperiana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dioscorea schimperiana
JSTOR Plant Science: Dioscorea schimperiana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dioscorea schimperiana
Plants of the World Online: Dioscorea schimperiana
Tropicos: Dioscorea schimperiana
Wikipedia: Dioscorea schimperiana
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