Dioscorea, DIOECIA HEXANDRIA, 797 
‘DIOSCOREA. Schreb. gen. N. 1530. 
Maur. Calyx six-leaved, or six-parted. Corol none. 
Femarr. Calyx asin the male. Germ inferior, three-cell- 
ed; cells two-seeded ; attachment superior. Styles three: 
Capsule three-celled. Seeds one or two, membranaceous. 
Embryo ascending, centripetal, and furnished with a peris- 
perm. 
41. D. globosa, R. 
Tubers roundish, white. Stems twining, six-winged. 
Leaves alternate and opposite, sagittate.cordate. Male | 
spikes compound, long, pendulous, and verticelled; female 
simple. mie ; be 
“Beng. Choopuree aloo. 
~ T have only found this species in a cultivated state; it 
holds the first place amongst the tuberous roots used for food 
by the Hindoos of these parts, and is also the most esteemed 
of the yams amongst Europeans in India. 
- Root tuberous, roundish, often very large ; siteaally 
very white. Stems herbaceous, twining, of great extent, 
about six-sided, with the angles membrane-winged, and 
prickly toward the root, Leaves opposite and alternate, 
long-petioled, broad, sagittate-cordate, ensiform, pointed, 
waved, smooth, from five to seven-nerved. Petioles five- 
winged, nearly as long as the leaves, Maue. Spikes axil- 
lary, simple and compound ; the compound ones very long, 
pendulous, and sub-verticelled. Flowers small, very numer- 
ous, Femate. Spikes axillary, sop, sat, witha fot) re- 
mote, very fragrant flowers. fit. Of 
2. D, alata. Willd. iv. 792. 
Tubers oblong, white. Stems annual, twining, four-wing- 
ed. Leaves opposite, deep cordate, from five to seven-nerved. 
Volubilis nigra, &c. Sloane’s History of Jamaica, vol, i. 
p. 139, 
