460 CXXV. DIOSCORIDE X. 
or an indehiscent berry. Seeds albuminous, with a minute embryo 
near the hilum.—Herbs often forming large tuberous rhizomes or 
der di oye ki ay genera, dispersed over the tropical and temperate 
regions of eee tk lobe. The only Australian genus certainly belonging to it has the 
wide range of th he Order. The second,  Mxpésioetiy known and therefore doubtful genus 
De ici af is endemic. 
l. DIOSCOREA, Linn. 
(Helmia, Kunth.) 
Flowers dicecious. Stamens in the Australian species 6. Capsule 
3-angled or 3-lobed, opening longitudinally at the angles, often leaving 
their nervelike margins free. Seeds win ed. —Undergrou und rhizomes 
often tuberous and known by the name of Yams, Stems twining. 
A large tropical and — vit especially numerous in South Am rica. Of 
the three Australian species, one is mon in tropical Asia, the two shares as far as 
hitherto known, are endemic. "The pce of all three said to be eaten by the natives 
or colonists as nativ e yams 
Perianth. wa er pie broad. Capsule broader than long. Seeds 
Leaver speci opposite, o ovate-cordate or ene ane 
with a broa 1. D. transversa. — 
Mtm all ree linear or linear- lanceolate, ‘or the lower GUAE 
maller ones triangular-hastate . 2. D. hastifolia. 
Perianth se segments narrow. Capsule lo onger than broad. Seeds à 
nged at one end only. Leaves alternate, ovate-cordate . 8. D. sativa. 
D. lucida, E i Prod. 295, described from a specimen without flowers or frui 
gathered on Endeavour river by Banks and Solander, is B enda a species ol : 
Jioxburghia, tol probably E. javanica, Miq. 
. D. transversa, R. Br. Prod. 295. A slender glabrous twiner with — 
a fc ca rhizome. Leaves opposite or viae triangular-hastate oF 
ovate-cordate, the basal lobes always very spreadi ng with a road 
rupted de nder spikes o of 1j to 2 in., the spikes clustered wee 
r: axillary panicles. Perianth-segments orbicular, above 
line sate in some ens, not half so large in others, but 
aw. hat fully Api oe t mueh dibsipito; the 3 inner ones rather 
small Anthe laments inserted on a disk, with a small 
rudiment of an ovary in the reus Female racemes simple, 9 to 4 in. 
long, the flowers distant. Ovary oblong-linear. Perianth of the males - 
but smaller. Styles short, distinct, the stigmas shortly 2-cleft. Capsule 
