Chinese Yam Dioscorea polystachya TurczaninowNon-native  -  Invasive    Synonyms: Cinnamon vine, Dioscorea batatas, Dioscorea oppositifolia, Potato Vine.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Liliales   >   Family Dioscoreaceae   >   Genus Dioscorea   

Status:

Introduced from China.

Description:

Flowers cinnamon scented. Stems commonly bear small tubers in leaf axils, hence the common name Potato Vine. These tubers are vegetative propagules.

Where to find:

Grows in disturbed forests, especially in mesic uplands and bottomlands, in old fields, along roadsides, and around old homesites.

There are 104 records in the project database.

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Chinese Yam growing in Kent Co., Maryland (9/6/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/15/2014). Photo by Fritz Flohr Reynolds. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/31/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam growing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/20/2015). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam (underside) in Harford Co., Maryland (7/1/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam at Severn Run NEA in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/29/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Frederick Co., Maryland (10/10/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/1/2016). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Harford Co., Maryland (9/4/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/22/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Caroline Co., Maryland (10/11/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Kent Co., Maryland (6/19/2017). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Caroline Co., Maryland (10/11/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/7/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/27/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Harford Co., Maryland (9/27/2020). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tom Feild. (MBP list)

Chinese Yam in Washington Co., Maryland (7/29/2018). (c) Mark Etheridge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)


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MBP marks as "Invasive" any taxon listed in the Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC) list of Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland. You can read their criteria and review the lists here: https://mdinvasives.org/species-of-concern/.