Dioscorea esculenta
Dioscorea esculenta, commonly known as the lesser yam, is a yam species native to Island Southeast Asia and introduced to Near Oceania and East Africa by early Austronesian voyagers. It is grown for their edible tubers, though it has smaller tubers than the more widely-cultivated "Dioscorea alata" and is usually spiny. Names. In Vietnam, it is called "khoai từ" or "củ từ". It is used to make chè củ từ, also referred to as chè khoai từ. In Tagalog, it is known as "tugi," while in Cebuano it is called "apali". It is cultivated in Kerala, Goa , Konkan parts of Maharashtra India. In Malayalam, it is known as "nana kizhangu" or "nheruvalli kizhangu" or Cheru Kizhangu". In Goa it is called "Kaate Kanaga (काटे कणगा )", It is a climber which needs support and goes coiling around the support. History of cultivation. The lesser yam is the second most important yam crop among Austronesians. Like "D. alata", it requires minimal processing, unlike the other more bitter yam species. However, it has smaller tubers than "D. alata" and is usually spiny. Like "D. alata" it was introduced to Madagascar and the Comoros by Austronesians, where it spread to the  East African coast. They are also a dominant crop in Near Oceania, However, it did not reach to the furthest islands in Polynesia, being absent in Hawaii and New Zealand. Starch grains identified to be from the lesser yam have been recovered from archaeological sites of the Lapita culture in Viti Levu, Fiji, dated to around 3,050 to 2,500 cal BP. "D. esculenta" is believed to have been introduced by the Lapita culture into New Guinea, along with agricultural innovations like wet cultivation. Traces of "D. esculenta" (along with "D. alata", "D. bulbifera", "D. nummularia" and "D. pentaphylla") yams have  also been identified from the Mé Auré Cave site in Moindou, New Caledonia, dated to around 2,700 to 1,800 BP. Remains of "D. esculenta" have also been recovered from archaeological sites in Guam, dated to around 1031 CE. Taxonomy. Belonging to the genus "Dioscorea", "Dioscorea esculenta" describes the plant's ability to produce edible roots. Description. The plant's stems are round and thin, with big, black compound spines that are 2–4 cm long. The leaves are soft, heart-shaped, and 5–8 cm long and 6–8 cm wide.