Taxon

Dioscorea sylvatica

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Common name: Forest elephant's foot
Family: Dioscoreaceae (Yam)
Distribution: Southern Africa provincial distribution range (Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga)
IUCN Red list: Vulnerable
National red list: Vulnerable
Life form: Geophyte (bulb, corm or tuber - seasonally dormant)
Comments: This plant was nearly harvested to extinction for the commercial extraction of diosgenin, a compound used in the manufacture of cortisone.
Links: Flora of Zimbabwe • iSpot • Red List of South African Plants • SANBI PlantZAfrica

Locations

Cluster Area Area
Individual Individual