Greater Yam

At a glance

Origin / distribution: India, Hawaii, West Indies, Mexico

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Gonorrhea, Laxative, Leprosy, Piles

Science studied: ASCORBIC-ACID, ASH, BORON, BETA-CAROTENE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Scientific name: Dioscorea alata

Common names: Greater Yam, Winged Yam, Chiazi, Dioscorée ailée, Dioscorée ailée, Cambarre, Cambarre blanc, Cambarre de sang, Hoffe, Greater Yams, Guyana arrowroot, Ovi tsabo, Ovi tsabo lahi, Water Yam, Water yam, Yams, cará, cará branco, cará roxo, cará-inhame, geflügelter Yam, grande igname

POWO: 317625-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in India, Hawaii, West Indies, Mexico.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Gonorrhea
• Laxative
• Leprosy
• Piles
• Tumor
• Fever
• Vermifuge

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• India
• Hawaii
• West Indies
• Mexico

Documented cultural uses

• Gonorrhea
• Laxative
• Leprosy
• Piles
• Tumor
• Fever
• Vermifuge

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Gonorrhea · India · "
• Laxative · Hawaii · "
• Leprosy · India · "
• Piles · India · "
• Tumor · West Indies · "
• Fever · Hawaii · "
• Tumor · Mexico · "
• Vermifuge · India · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Monoecy in an XY yam reveals labile sex expression and hormonal reprogramming in Dioscorea alata. · 2026 source ↗
• Unveiling the Nutraceutical Potential of Yam Dioscorea alata L.: A Comprehensive Review. · 2026 source ↗
• Haplotype-resolved genome assembly of a male Dioscorea alata cultivar reveals the structure and evolution of young sex chromosomes. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ASCORBIC-ACID
• ASH
• BORON
• BETA-CAROTENE
• CITRATES
• CYANIDIN-3-GENTIOBIOSIDE
• CYANIDIN-GLYCOSIDE
• FERULIC-ACID
• FIBER
• KILOCALORIES
• MAGNESIUM
• MANGANESE
• OXALATE
• PHOSPHORUS
• PROTEIN
• STARCH

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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