152. DIOSCOREACE.E. [1. Dioscorea. 



Tho tubers are eaten, and are among the most esteemed of the vams among the 

 Oriyas. 



3. D. glabra, Roxb. Syn. D. nummularia, Lamk. in part; Unur- 



sanga, K. ; Ato-sang, alto-sang, Baiyang, S. ; Konta-alu, Or. 

 Stem quite glabrous with numerous prickles below or in rich moist 

 soil sometimes quite unarmed, often • 3" diam. , sAvollen at the nodes 

 and with swollen petiole-bases (but these not much hardened nor 

 aculeate as in Wallichii), base wood}^ passing into a nodose woody 

 perennial superficial rhizome 3-4" diam. from which proceed long 

 stout fibres ending in the tubers. Leaves glaucous or nearly white 

 beneath, opposite or lower alternate, variously shaped but lower, 

 sometimes all, deeply cordate at the base or sagittate, those towards 

 the inflorescence with the base generally straight or rounded, costse 

 5-7 or even 9 on verj^ broad leaves. Petiole long, from half as long 

 to as long as the blade. Male spikes dense or lax, •5-1-25" long, 

 opposite or verticillate on axillary rhachides 1-3-5" long or in long 

 terminal more or less leafless panicles, rhachis always quite glabrous. 

 Flowers subglobose or oblong 1-5 mm. long, sep. ovate-oblong obtuse, 

 gibbous at the base, petals obovate or oblanceolate, very thick. 

 Stamens 6 perfect. Pistillode very minute. Fem. rhachis quite 

 glabrous. Capsule -6-- 8" long including the obconic base, 1-1-3" 

 wide, depressed at the apex. 



One of the commonest of the yams in our area. Most frequent in open forest. 

 Purneah ! Gaya ! Santal Parganas ! All districts of Chota Nagpur, especially 

 at about 2000 ft. though frequent also in the valleys of Saranda ! Jaspur and 

 Kochang, Wood ! Puri ! Angul, common ! Kalahandi ! Xo doubt therefore 

 in all districts. Fl. Sept. -Nov. Fr. Nov.-March. Old male flowers may also 

 be frequently found in a dry state as late as March and at this season the leaves 

 turn yellow and fall. 



The tubers are at the ends of long fleshy and stringy fibres which are 2 ft. long 

 or even 3-4 ft. long ; they are 5-12" by 1-2" in some cases ; in others I have found 

 them 1-2-5 ft. long by 2-3" diam. more or less cylindrical, frequently curved. 

 L. exceptionally suborbicular 7" by 6" or subsagittate 8-5" by 3-5". usually cuspi- 

 date, most commonly ovate and cordate, 5-9-nerved, sec. n. not scalariform 

 between the costse (as in belophyUa), apex acuminate or cuspidate. Petiole half 

 to as long as the blade or in very long leaves only one-third as long. Male spikes 

 finally whorled direct on the main axis, the leaves of which gradually become 

 smaller and bractiform. ^Yhen in full flower with a strong rather unpleasant 

 odour. Buds oblong. Base of the perianth-tube very broad and pulvinate on 

 the upper side. Bracteole much shorter than the lanceolate acuminate bract 

 which is about half as long as perianth, base of bract not decurrent on rhachis 

 each side of the flower. Fem. perianth quite sessile on ovary, -04" long. Seeds 

 winged all round. 



No bulbils appear to be formed on this species. 



There are two forms, one with much smaller laxer flowers than the others. 



The tubers are largely eaten, but are not among the best of the yams. The 

 Santals say that they are too sticky when boiled. 



4. D. belophyUa, Voight. Syn. D. glabra, F.B.I, (in part); Duri- 



sanga, Hasa-sanga, K. ; Mutur-sang, S. (also San-kanda) ; 



Tanga-alu, Khond. ; Geti or dura-sanga, Kharw. ; Korondi-alu, 



Or. ; Kunda-alu, Tara-kanda (in Angul) ; Malara (in Khurda). 



Stems quite smooth, enlarged at the base into a small rhizome, 



bearing tubers at the ends of long fleshy fibres as in D. glabra. Leaves 



opposite and alternate, sap-green and dull above, glaucous beneath, 



both shape and size variable but usually ovate and deeply cordate 



1119 



