''Dioscorea cayenensis'' is a species of
yam in the genus ''
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 ...
'' that is a widely consumed West African domesticated crop. ''
Dioscorea rotundata
''Dioscorea cayenensis'' subsp. ''rotundata'', commonly known as the white yam, West African yam, Guinea yam, or white ñame, is a subspecies of yam native to Africa. It is one of the most important cultivated yams. Kokoro is one of its most imp ...
'' is sometimes treated as a subspecies, and sometimes also as a separate species.
Common names include Guinea yam, yellow yam, and yellow Guinea yam.
It may be a
triploid hybrid between the cultivated ''
D. rotundata'' and the wild ''
D. burkilliana''.
References
cayenensis
Yams (vegetable)
Flora of West Tropical Africa
Crops originating from Africa
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