Dioscorea communis

Dioscorea communis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Dioscoreales
Family:	Dioscoreaceae
Genus:	Dioscorea
Species:	D. communis
Binomial name
Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin
Synonyms
Tamus communis (L.)

Dioscorea communis (sometimes placed in the segregate Tamus) is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae and is commonly known as Black Bryony.

Description

It is a climbing herbaceous plant growing to 2-4 m tall, with twining stems. The leaves are spirally arranged, heart-shaped, up to 10 cm long and 8 cm broad, with a petiole up to 5 cm long. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The flowers are individually inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, 3-6 mm diameter, with six petals; the male flowers produced in slender 5-10 cm racemes, the female flowers in shorter clusters. The fruit is a bright red berry, 1 cm diameter. Its fairly large tuber is, like the rest of the plant, poisonous.

Distribution

Dioscorea communis is a native spontaneous species widespread throughout Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia.

Habitat

It is a typical plant of the underwood, from the sea to the mountains, usually in dense woods, but it can also be found in meadows and hedges.

Gallery

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  Illustration from Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885

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  Plant of Dioscorea communis

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  Fruits of Dioscorea communis

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  Close-up on fruits of Dioscorea communis

References

1. Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-40170-2.
2. Flora Europaea: Tamus communis distribution Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, United Kingdom(2008).

External links

Media related to Dioscorea communis at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Dioscorea communis at Wikispecies