Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Wildejam, Wild yam, Ingcolo, Isidakwa, Udakwa

Family: Dioscoreaceae (Yam)

Distribution: Eastern Southern Africa

Habitat: Woodlands, forests and bush clumps

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

National red list: Least Concern

Life form: Vine / liana / climber

Comments: This seasonal vine has many uses in traditional medicine in southern Africa and the tuber can often be found in the “muthi” markets. It is sometimes used as a sedative to treat conditions such as epilepsy and insomnia, and its tranquilising effects has given it its common name in Zulu, isidikwa, which means “drunkard”. Water that has been heated in the scooped-out tuber is also used to treat wounds in animals and humans. Studies have found that there is high antibacterial activity in extracts of this plant.