Dioscorea tokolo

Flower name
Dioscorea tokolo
Scientific name
Dioscorea tokolo
Alias鬼野老, 野老, トコロ
Place of originJapan
Place of floweringField, Low mountains
Flowering seasonJuly, August

What is Dioscorea tokolo

Dioscorea tokolo (Dioscorea onidokoro, Dioscorea tokolo) is a perennial vine native to Japan. It is also simply called tokoro (wild old tree). It grows wild in forest margins in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The leaves are rounded, heart-shaped, and have a margins that are completely margined, and they grow in alternate arrangements. It is dioecious.
It produces small green flowers with six petals from July to August. The male inflorescence is erect and branched, producing many flowers.
The female inflorescence is a drooping flower with three flower stalks and a green elongated ovary.

Difference between "yamanoimo" and "onidokoro
Although they are similar,
The Japanese yamano-noimo has opposite leaves and the tuberous root is edible.
Onidokoro has alternate leaves and the tuberous root contains alkaloids, so it is usually used in folk medicine for back pain.

Origin of the name
The Japanese name "Noro" (wild old man) is derived from the fact that it grows in the wild and its underground stem (rhizome) is curved and has a beard, which is compared to an old man.
The genus name "Dioscorea" is a dedication to the Greek natural scientist Dr. A.d. Dioscorides, and the species name "tokoro" means "tokoro" in Japanese.

Common name: Dioscorea tokolo, Scientific name: Dioscorea tokolo, Origin: Japan, Habitat: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Living environment: Forest margin, Life form: Perennial vine habitat: forest margins, life form: perennial vine, vine: right-handed, leaf shape: roundish-heart-shaped, acute, leaf margin: entire, phyllotaxy: alternate, plant: dioecious, flowering season: July-August, inflorescence: erect, 6 petals and 6 stamens, inflorescence: drooping, fruit type: 3-sided capsule with 3 winged seeds, note: Ministry of Agriculture: cormorant, fish poison.