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Dioscorea alata L.
White yam

Dioscorea alata
Copyright by: Forest & Kim Starr

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Vine

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Tropical Asia; widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

FLEPPC Status: Category I Invasive

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: For more information and images, visit Florida Invasive Plant Species Mobile Field Guide (FLIP).

Other data on Dioscorea alata available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Dioscorea alata has been found in the following 11 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Coral Pines Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
County Line Scrub, Miami-Dade County Present Not Native, Naturalized
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Not Native, Naturalized
Florida City Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
R. Hardy Matheson Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Rocky Point Hammock Present Not Native, Naturalized
Silver Palm Groves Present Not Native, Naturalized
The Barnacle State Historic Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Twin Rivers Present Not Native, Naturalized

Dioscorea alata has been found in the following 4 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Not Native, Naturalized
Charlotte County Not Native, Naturalized
Lee County Not Native, Naturalized
Miami-Dade County Not Native, Naturalized

Dioscorea alata has been found in the following 4 habitats :
Disturbed Upland
Pine Rockland
Prairie Hammock
Rockland Hammock

All Images:

Dioscorea alata
Copyright by: Forest & Kim Starr
Dioscorea alata
Copyright by: Hans van der Heiden, 2019
Naturalized in Florida City Pineland, Florida
Dioscorea alata
Copyright by: Forest & Kim Starr