Texas Wildbuds

Dioscorea villosa

(Wild Yam)

_DSC1056%20copy

Dioscorea villosa, Caddo Lake State Park, Harris Co. 0663

_DSC1056%20copy

Dioscorea villosa, Caddo Lake State Park, Harris Co. 0674

_DSC1056%20copy

Dioscorea villosa, Caddo Lake State Park, Harris Co. 0670

_DSC1056%20copy

Dioscorea villosa, Caddo Lake State Park, Harris Co. 0676

_DSC1056%20copy

Dioscorea villosa, Caddo Lake State Park, Harris Co. 0680

Scientific Name Dioscorea villosa DA PLANTS Symbol DIVI4
Common Name Wild Yam ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 43367
Family Dioscoreaceae (Yam) SEINet
Reference		 Click Here
Description Habitat: Moist, sandy to rocky soils in sunny or partly shady areas in woods, thickets, fencerows, shorelines and creek bottoms.
Plant: Perennial vines with stems from 6 to 15 feet long; stems are grooved, usually hairless and twining onto other plants for support.
Leaves: Mostly alternate but may be whorled or nearly so near the stem base; ovate-cordate, with a sharply-pointed tip, 1 to 5 inches long and nearly as wide as long; 7 to 11 deep veins radiating from the base; hairless petiole up to 6 inches long; upper leaf surface is hairless and the lower is hairy, sometimes hairless or glandular.
Inflorescence: Dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants); dangling clusters very small flowers arising from the leaf axils; flowers are about 1/8 inch across, yellowish to greenish white, saucer-shaped with 6 tepals; male clusters are 1 to 12 inches long and branched, the flowers with 6 short, yellow stamens; female clusters are 1 to 8 inches long and unbranched, the flowers single and spaced 1/4 to 1/2-inch apart.
Bloom Period: April to June.
Fruit: Three-sectioned, broadly-winged capsule about 1 inch long; green, ripening to brown in the fall.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, SEINet and Minnesota Wildflowers. 		BONAP Distribution Map


Map Color Key		 Texas Status:
Native
Back to White/Green Flowers

Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2025

Every attempt is made to provide accurate, up-to-date, and relevant information, but the completeness or accuracy of any information presented on this website cannot be guaranteed. I use authoritative references to insure high standards of accuracy and review and update the information frequently.