Dioscorea Aesculifolia
''Dioscorea aesculifolia'' is a herbaceous vine in the genus ''Dioscorea''. The type specimen was collected in Brazil in 1994. The type specimen is damaged, but it appears to have palmate leaves with leaflets arranged in groups of five – a feature which is in contrast to the simple leaves of most well-known species of the genus '' Dioscorea''. References aesculifolia {{monocot-stub ...
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Dioscorea
''Dioscorea'' is a genus of over 600 species of flowering plants in the family Dioscoreaceae, native throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. The vast majority of the species are tropical, with only a few species extending into temperate climates. It was named by the monk Charles Plumier after the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides. Description Wild Yam (''Dioscorea'') is a vine that is invasive, deciduous, and herbaceous. This species is native to Asia, though, in the U.S., it is commonly found in Florida. They can grow over in length. Wild yams are an important crop, as they have been used to prevent menstrual cramps, stomach cramps, and general pain for centuries. During the 1950s scientists found that the roots of wild yams contained diosgenin which is a plant-based estrogen; diosgenin is hypothesized to aid in chemical defense against herbivores. This was used to create the first birth control pills during the 60s. In addition, some ...
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