DIOSCOREA COMMUNIS

Family and Genus:- See- DIOSCOREACEAE

Common Names:- Black bryony.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Tamus communis.

Meaning:- Dioscorea (L) For Dioscorea Pedanios, Greek military physician.

Communis (L) Growing in clumps, common.

General description:- Tall, twining perennial climber, dying down in the autumn to

a large underground tuber.

Stem:-

1) Up to 4 m longitudinally striate, sometimes branched, glabrous twining

sinistrally.

Leaves:-

1) 8-15 cm, glossy green, broadly ovate to cordate often 3-lobed long-petiolate, the

margin untoothed, with 3-9 curved primary veins.

Flowers:-

1) Greenish-yellow, 3-6 mm, borne in lax lateral racemes:

a) male, with 6 fairly broad lobes and 6 stamens.

b) female, with 6 minute lobes and a conspicuous ovary, in much shorter

racemes, on separate plants.

Fruit:-

1) Globe-like or oval, glistening berry 10-12 mm, bright red when ripe.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Seasonally damp shady places in gorges, scrubland vegetation,

deciduous scrub and olive groves. 0-900(-1500) m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean.

Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton