Dioscorea

Distribution:

South Africa: Western Cape Province: Little Karoo: Eastern Cape Province:

Synonyms: Elephants Foot. Testudinaria hemicrypta. Dioscorea hemicrypta has a wide distribution in South Africa. Plants occur from the Richtersveld soutwards to the Little Karoo and eastwards into the Eastern Cape where they prefer the shady slopes of hillsides. The thickened stem is often subterranean but may be exposed above the ground. The stem of very old plants can protrude a meter or more above the ground. The plants invariably grow amongst other shrub where their branches twine into the accompanying vegetation. The plants loose their heart shaped leaves during spring but set new leaves in late summer and autumn. Plants can be grown from seed which should be sown in late summer or autumn.

A large plant in habitat in the Little Karoo.	A well shaped plant at Leopoort.	Dioscorea hemicrypta has heart shaped leaves from midsummer to late spring.

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