Author Topic: Mystery Dioscorea: Ņame Mapues? *Solved: D. trifida*  (Read 2584 times)

Caesar

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Mystery Dioscorea: Ņame Mapues? *Solved: D. trifida*
« on: May 07, 2017, 09:14:08 PM »
Hi all. I went to Walmart with my folks the other day, and found this curious little Yam from Costa Rica being sold alongside the usual D. rotundata. I don't know what to make of them. I brought one home to plant, but I have nothing that would let me reliably identity it. I did several searches for its given name "Ņame Mapues", including variations omitting the "s", with and without a mark ("é"), and with and without quote marks. I turned up the official website for the exact product (http://www.ecrater.com/p/24563903/ame-mapues-rare-variety-by), but it lacked any sort of botanical or horticultural information, save for references to its rarity, good taste and ease of propagation (no botanical name). The only other pages that turned up in the searches were one for a study done in the Dominican Republic (http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ifsa/papers/a/a7.doc), which doesn't convince me due to the name difference (Mapuey) coupled with the regional name issues, and it's reference to it being D. cayenensis (which is much bigger than what I saw at the store); also a medicinal herbs website in spanish (http://malinalli-herbolariamedica.blogspot.com/2011/05/cocolmeca-name-barbasco-o-cabeza-de.html?m=1), which makes reference to three species (two of which are toxic, the third being D. trifida). I was under the impression that I was dealing with the Lesser Yam / "Potato Yam" (D. esculenta), but the tuber seems different. Does it look familiar to anyone here? Note: the dark region is a wax coating applied to the tuber:









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I decided to post it anyway just in case, but while writing this post I did some further searches for D. trifida and Cush-cush Yam, which turned up pictures closely resembling my root, as well as the "Ņame Mapues" name (earlier searches for that name did not turn up those results). So I guess it's likely that I'm dealing with D. trifida. The only way to know for sure is to wait for the leaves to grow in (D. trifida seems to have a unique leaf shape). I'm gonna plant it as soon as I can, and I'll post a pic of whatever pops up. I'll keep y'all posted. Does anyone know the care retirements for D. trifida? Also, is it single-tubered or does it grow multiple (like D. esculenta)?
« Last Edit: June 03, 2017, 02:21:10 PM by Caesar »

Caesar

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Re: Mystery Dioscorea: Ņame Mapues? *Solved: D. trifida*
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2017, 02:38:07 PM »
I bought some more roots yesterday, so today I had my first taste of D. trifida. Here's the verdict:

It was a white-fleshed cultivar, no traces of purple. The texture is drier than Florido Yam (D. alata), in that way reminiscent of my favorite (for mashing): Guinea Yam (D. rotundata). Like Florido, however, there were noticeable-yet-soft fibers (though shorter than the ones in Florido flesh). There was a noticeable sweetness, much more subtle than in Sweet Potatoes, more like a strong accent. I'm not sure I'd agree with the oft-repeated claim that this is the best and tastiest yam, but nevertheless, I found it excellent, appetizing and well worth growing.

TravelingFriend

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Re: Mystery Dioscorea: Ņame Mapues? *Solved: D. trifida*
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2017, 01:10:51 PM »
I bought some more roots yesterday, so today I had my first taste of D. trifida. Here's the verdict:

It was a white-fleshed cultivar, no traces of purple. The texture is drier than Florido Yam (D. alata), in that way reminiscent of my favorite (for mashing): Guinea Yam (D. rotundata). Like Florido, however, there were noticeable-yet-soft fibers (though shorter than the ones in Florido flesh). There was a noticeable sweetness, much more subtle than in Sweet Potatoes, more like a strong accent. I'm not sure I'd agree with the oft-repeated claim that this is the best and tastiest yam, but nevertheless, I found it excellent, appetizing and well worth growing.

sounds worth while, hope they grow well for you and provide some aerial tubers ;) we are all wishing to expand our collection of Yams on the Land in SWFL.

Caesar

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Re: Mystery Dioscorea: Ņame Mapues? *Solved: D. trifida*
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2017, 05:25:08 PM »
sounds worth while, hope they grow well for you and provide some aerial tubers ;) we are all wishing to expand our collection of Yams on the Land in SWFL.

Thanks, the vines are actually growing rather vigorously. I gotta remember to take the picture, but I've long since seen the leaves, and the identity is confirmed without a doubt. I don't think this one makes aerial bulbils from what I've read, but it t does make multiple roots, not unlike D. esculenta (another one on my most wanted list). I hope to get D. esculenta next season, I talked to a local experimental station, and they have several varieties of it (along with other yam species including, surprisingly, D. trifida).

For now, I have D. rotundata, D. trifida, D. polystachia... And D. bulbifera!  :D
I'm hoping to spread them around once they start producing.

If you still have the Ube, I'm interested. Is it the fully purple or partially purple type? I'm looking for both, or either, if they're similar.