FoI
Cinnamon Vine
Share Foto info
Cinnamon Vine
ative Photo: Prashant Awale
Common name: Cinnamon Vine, Chinese Yam, Air potato • Gujarati: આંબલીયો કંદ ambaliyo kanda • Kannada: ಬೆಳ್ಳರಾಯ್ Bellaraai, ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಗೆಣಸು Hakki genasu, ಕಾಡು ಗೆಣಸು Kaadu genasu, ನರೆ ಗೆಣಸು Nare genasu ತಾಬಿನೇರೆ Taabinere • Konkani: मरपासपोळी marpaspoli • Malayalam: കാച്ചിൽ kaachil, കാഞ്ഞിരക്കിഴങ്ങ് kanjirakizhangu, കവള kavala, നൂറൻ കിഴങ്ങ് noorankizhangu, വെട്ടിവള്ളി vettivalli, വെള്ളക്കിഴങ്ങ് vellakkizhangu • Marathi: मेदवण medhvan, पासपोळी paspoli • Sanskrit: सर्पाख्य sarpakhya • Tamil: காய்மைகாரி kaymai-kari, மலையன்கிழங்கு malaiyankilanku, வெற்றிலைவள்ளி verrilai-valli • Telugu: అడవి దుంప తీగ adavi dumpa thige, అడవి యాట తీగ adavi yataga tige, ఆరె తీగలు aretegalu, అత్యాగ atyaga, అవతెంగ తీగ avathenga thige, చెంచు దుంప chenchu dumpa, గానుగ ganuga, కర్రపెండలం karrapendalamu, నారబడులు naarabadlu, తెల్లగడ్డ tella gadda, యెల్ల గడ్డ yella gadda • Tulu: ನರೆ ಕಂಡೆ nare kande Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Dioscorea oppositifolia    Family: Dioscoreaceae (Yam family)
Synonyms: Dioscorea opposita
Cinnamon Vine is a deciduous perennial creeping and climbing vine, that may reach up to 16 feet in height given support from trees and shrubs. Although it is native to India, it is mistakenly called Chinese Yam. The vines twine from left to right. The leaves are pointed to long-pointed with a heart-shaped base. Leaves can be alternate or opposite in arrangement on the stem. Typically, leaves are 1.5-3 inches long and up to 1.5 inches wide with 7-9 veins. The margins, leaf-stalk and stems are purplish to red in color. The small yellowish-white flowers arise from the axils of the leaves. The flowers are bell-shaped and the male flowers are in bundles, spikes or panicles at the end of the branches. Flowers may have a spicy fragrance similar to cinnamon. Arrangement may be paniculate or spicate. Bulbils or small aerial tubers are produced in the axils of the leaves. The seeds are borne in a three angle membranous capsule.
Identification credit: Shrikant Ingalhalikar Photographed in Lonavala, Maharashtra.
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,