Dioscorea transversa
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Genus: Dioscorea
Common name: Native Yam
ALA reference
This species is dioecious and the photo shows a male plant covered in buds. Last year the same plant produced a similar mass of buds but they all fell off before opening because the weather was exceptionally dry at that time. Even though these plants have quite large underground tubers the stem arising from the tuber is hair thin being less than 2 mm in diameter.(August 2010)
The long thin twining stems of Dioscorea transversa grow to about 2 to 4 metres in length from a long thin underground tuber which is about 10mm in diameter and fairly deep in the soil. The tuber was a food source for aborigines who ate it cooked or raw. The aerial parts of the plant die back during winter. In time the fruits turn dry and papery and then split to release the seeds. (November 2008)
Fort Bushland Reserve 