Taxon: Dioscorea polygonoides Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.

Summary

Genus:

Dioscorea

Family:

Dioscoreaceae

Nomen number:

14240

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 4(2):795. 1806

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/566522

Verified:

03/27/2006 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

3 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Dioscorea ceratandra R. Knuth

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Dubs, B. 1998. Prodromus florae matogrossensis. Botany of Mato Grosso, series B, no. 3.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Niño, J. et al. 2007. Diosgenin quantification by HPLC in Dioscorea polygonoides tuber collection from Colombian flora. J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 18:1073-1076. DOI: 10.1590/S0103-50532007000500030 .
Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
Viruel, J. et al. 2016. Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene origin of yams (Dioscorea, Dioscoreaceae) in the Laurasian Palaearctic and their subsequent Oligocene-Miocene diversification. J. Biogeogr. 43:750-762. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12678. Note: Dioscorea polygonoides grouped within the "New World I clade"

Common names

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas	Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave	Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán	Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Alagoas	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Amazonas
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Bahia
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Bahia	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Ceará	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Distrito Federal
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Distrito Federal	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Espírito Santo	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Goiás	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Minas Gerais
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraíba	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraná	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Pernambuco	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Piauí	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Rio de Janeiro
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Rio Grande do Sul
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Santa Catarina
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Santa Catarina	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	São Paulo
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	São Paulo	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Tocantins
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Tocantins	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines		Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica		Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua		Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana		Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana		Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname		Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Corrientes
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Jujuy
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Misiones
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Antioquia	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Bolívar	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Boyacá	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Caldas	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Cauca	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Cesar	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Chocó	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Cundinamarca	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Huila	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	La Guajira	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Magdalena	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Meta	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Norte de Santander	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Quindío	Niño, J. et al. 2007. Diosgenin quantification by HPLC in Dioscorea polygonoides tuber collection from Colombian flora. J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 18:1073-1076. DOI: 10.1590/S0103-50532007000500030 .
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Risaralda	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Sucre	Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Los Ríos	Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru		Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45

Native
Northern America

SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico], St. Vincent and Grenadines
CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil [Alagoas, Amazonas, Bahia, Bahia, Ceará, Distrito Federal, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, São Paulo, Tocantins, Tocantins]
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia [Antioquia, Bolívar, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cesar, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Risaralda, Sucre], Ecuador [Los Ríos], Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Corrientes, Jujuy, Misiones], Paraguay

Reference(s)

Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:509-510.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Niño, J. et al. 2007. Diosgenin quantification by HPLC in Dioscorea polygonoides tuber collection from Colombian flora. J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 18:1073-1076. DOI: 10.1590/S0103-50532007000500030 .
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Medicines	source of pharmaceutical agent	potential source of diosgenin	Niño, J. et al. 2007. Diosgenin quantification by HPLC in Dioscorea polygonoides tuber collection from Colombian flora. J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 18:1073-1076. DOI: 10.1590/S0103-50532007000500030 .

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=14240. Accessed 12 May 2026.