Dioscorea schimperiana Kunth

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Castleburn Forest, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park

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Synonyms:	Dioscorea hockii De Wild. Dioscorea stellato-pilosa De Wild.
Common names:	Mutendeni (Shona)
Frequency:	Common
Status:	Native
Description:	Twining climber with annual, right-twining, unarmed stems, growing from a perennial fleshy tuber. Leaves usually opposite, 10-20 cm long, heart-shaped, covered in stellate hairs, more densely so below. Flowers in pendent, axillary spikes, unisexual. Bulbils often present, particularly at flowering time, axillary, c. 1 cm in diameter, globose to ovoid, tuberculate, dark brown. Fruit 4-winged capsule, up to 2.4 × 3.9 cm, papery when dry.
Notes:	This species is among several, which produces fertile bulbils along the stem. These bulbils are occasionally eaten in Zimbabwe, particularly in times of food shortage.
Derivation of specific name:	schimperiana: although several other persons named Schimper are known in botanical history most species and genera are likely named after Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Schimper (1804-1878) who collected mainly in Ethiopia.
Habitat:	Along forest margins, and Brachystegia woodland, among rocks and on riverbanks and termite mounds, often in more open or disturbed areas.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Dec - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Sunday 23 October 2011
Literature:	Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 125. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 23. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 90. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 79. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 97 - 98. (Includes a picture). Wilkin, P. (2009). Dioscoreaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 134 - 136. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 82.

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Flora of Malawi: Dioscorea schimperiana
Flora of Mozambique: Dioscorea schimperiana
Flora of Zambia: Dioscorea schimperiana

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dioscorea schimperiana
African Plant Database: Dioscorea schimperiana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dioscorea schimperiana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dioscorea schimperiana
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Dioscorea schimperiana
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Dioscorea schimperiana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dioscorea schimperiana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Dioscorea schimperiana
iNaturalist: Dioscorea schimperiana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dioscorea schimperiana
JSTOR Plant Science: Dioscorea schimperiana
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Dioscorea schimperiana
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Dioscorea schimperiana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dioscorea schimperiana
Plants of the World Online: Dioscorea schimperiana
The Plant List (version 1.1): Dioscorea schimperiana
Tropicos: Dioscorea schimperiana
Wikipedia: Dioscorea schimperiana