Flower ID: IMG_7303.JPG-07-09-2023 Flower name (scientific): Dioscorea villosa Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) dy-oh-SKOR-ee-uh vil-OH-suh Flower name (common): Wild Yam Family name (common): Yam Family name (scientific): Dioscoreaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Named for the Greek physician and naturalist Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 – 90 AD). Specific epithet: With soft hairs. Common name origin: For the habit and the starchy tuberous root of different species of Dioscorea. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.2 inches (3 to 5 mm) Petal count: 6 Color: yellow Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Size: 72 to 196 inches (1.8 to 5 m) long. Stem hairy: mostly glabrous. Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate and/or whorl, type is simple. Size: Leaves about the same length and width, range from about 3 to 13 cm long and about 2 to 13 cm wide. Color: medium green Hairy: upper surface glabrous, under surface sparsely to densely pubescent, particularly along veins, or glabrous. Other: Shape: leaf, ovate-cordate (FNA), narrowly cordate to cordate (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): June to July Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, roadsides, savannas, thickets, river and lake margins, marshes, sandy to rocky soil, moist to dry, semi shade to sun. Fruit: Capsules, green to greenish-yellow turning brown with age, 3-winged, about 2.5 cm in length. Seed: About 5 to 18 mm in length, dark brown colored. Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki prepared from the roots a pain reliever for women giving birth (Smith, p. 220, 1928). Latitude: 44.795727 Longitude: -91.501928 Altitude: 331.40 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Barron, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (ON) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 1 homotypic synonym for this species. Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 26 heterotypic synonyms for this species. Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): FAC Wetland Status (MW): FAC