Rank Species | Higher classification Dioscorea | |
 | ||
Similar Taro, Propagule, Okonomiyaki, Dashi, Greater burdock | ||
Dioscorea japonica, known as East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam (Dioscorea) native to Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China (including Taiwan), and Assam.
Contents
Dioscorea japonica is used for food. Jinenjo, also called wild yam is related variety of Japanese yam that is used as an ingredient in soba noodles.
Names
In Japanese, it is known as yamaimo (山芋) "mountain yam".
Jinenjo (自然薯) "wild yam" is another kind of Dioscorea japonica, which is native to fields and mountains in Japan.
In Chinese it is known as Rìběnshǔyù (literally Japanese Yam; 日本薯蓣)
In Korean it is known as cham ma 참마, as well as dang ma 당마.
Chemistry
Dioscorea japonica contains the antimutagenic compounds eudesmol and paeonol.
Varieties
Several formal botanical varieties have been proposed. Four are accepted:
- Dioscorea japonica var. japonica - Japan, Korea, Ryukyu, Bonin, Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang
- Dioscorea japonica var. nagarum Prain & Burkill - Assam
- Dioscorea japonica var. oldhamii R.Knuth - Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan
- Dioscorea japonica var. pilifera C.T.Ting & M.C.Chang - Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang
