Dioscorea elephantipes

Dioscorea elephantipes
Dioscorea elephantipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Dioscoreales
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Genus: Dioscorea
Species: D. elephantipes
Binomial name
Dioscorea elephantipes
(L'Hér.) Engl.

Dioscorea elephantipes (Elephant's foot or Hottentot bread; syn. Testudinaria elephantipes), is a tuberous vining flowering plant in the genus Dioscorea, native to southwest South Africa, including the Cape of Good Hope.

It takes the name elephant's foot from the appearance of its large tuberous stem, which grows very slowly but often reaches a considerable size, often more than 3 m in circumference with a height of nearly 1 m above ground. It is rich in starch, whence the name Hottentot bread, and is covered on the outside with thick, hard, corky plates. It develops slender, leafy, climbing shoots which die down each season.

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dioscorea Elephantipes — Dioscorea elephantipes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dioscorea elephantipes — Dioscorea elephantipes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dioscorea elephantipes — rauplėtoji dioskorėja statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Dioskorėjinių šeimos dekoratyvinis augalas (Dioscorea elephantipes), paplitęs pietų Afrikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Dioscorea elephantipes angl. elephant s foot; Hottentot bread vok.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Dioscorea elephantipes — ID 27514 Symbol Key DIEL2 Common Name hottentot bread Family Dioscoreaceae Category Monocot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Cultivated, or not in the U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution N/A Growth Habit N/A …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Dioscorea elephantipes — noun South African vine having a massive rootstock covered with deeply fissured bark • Syn: ↑elephant s foot, ↑tortoise plant, ↑Hottentot bread vine, ↑Hottentot s bread vine • Hypernyms: ↑vine • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Dioscorea elephantipes (L'Hér.) Engl. — Symbol DIEL2 Common Name hottentot bread Botanical Family Dioscoreaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Dioscorea elephantipes (L'Hér.) Engl. — Symbol DIEL2 Common Name hottentot bread Botanical Family Dioscoreaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Dioscorea — balcanica Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • Dioscorea — Dioscorea …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dioscorea — Yams Gemeine Schmerwurz Dioscorea communis Systematik Abteilung: Bedecktsamer (Magnoliophyta) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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