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Dioscorea pyrifolia Kunth
| Family Name: | Dioscoreaceae |
| Synonyms: | Dioscorea diepenhorstiana Miq., Dioscorea ferruginea Thunb. ex Prain & Burkill, Dioscorea preangeriana Uline ex R.Knuth, Dioscorea zollingeriana Kunth |
| Common Name: | Akar Kemenyan Paya, Akar Kemeniyan, Marsh Benzoin Climber, Ubi Babi |
Dioscorea pyrifolia, or known as Akar Kemenyan Paya, is a robust, native climber that produces pear-shaped leaves and pendulous inflorescences that occur either individually or as a compound spike, depending on the sex of the flowers. In Malaysia, the underground tubers are used in traditional medicine for poulticing sores and treating swellings and bites.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Climber |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra, & West Java |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Secondary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest, Riverine) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Least Concern (LC)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a perennial, woody climber that can reach up to 10 m long. It has a twining growth habit. Short hairs are usually present on vegetative shoots and inflorescences. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The leaves are ovate-elliptical with a heart-shaped base, with juvenile leaves being spear-shaped with a triangular base. The leaves are thin, herbaceous, and have an entire leaf margin. The petioles (leaf stalks) are up to 4.5 cm long and hairy. The leaves are arranged alternately near the base, then become opposite, then decussate (oppositely arranged, with alternate pairs at right angles). |
| Stems | The stems are slender (2.5–5 mm in diameter), woody and spiny towards the base, and smooth and terete on the upper stem. The stems climb by twining clockwise up tree trunks or vertical supports. |
| Flowers | The inflorescence is a pendulous spike, occurring individually or as a compound spike per node for male inflorescences (up to 5 cm in length) on leafless branches or in pairs for female inflorescences (up to 24 cm in length). Each inflorescence may hold up to 50 flowers. The flower is imperfect, having six small tepals (indistinguishable petals and sepals that resemble one another) with floral bracts, and either male or female reproductive organs. The flowers smell of benzoin. The species is dioecious, meaning male and female inflorescences are found on separate plants. |
| Fruit | The fruit is a winged capsule (a type of dry, dehiscent capsule), measuring 17–25 mm long × 35–50 mm wide. The seeds are about 5 mm long × 5 mm wide, and winged, measuring 20–22.5 mm long × 19–22 mm wide. |
| Reproductive Parts - non-flowering plant | It produces 3–7 underground cylindrical tubers, deeply buried to a depth of up to 2.5 m. The tubers are attached to a woody crown by long, elongated stalks. The flesh is white. Bulbils are absent. |
| Habitat | It can be found in evergreen forests, near watercourses, and in swampy areas, such as the margins of peat swamp forests, at elevations of 0–700 m above sea level. |
| Taxonomy | There are five botanical varieties for this species, which are distinguished on the basis of the prickliness of the stems and hairiness of the leaves. |
| Cultivation | It grows best in moist, fertile soil and full sun to semi-shade. Shade should be provided for the soil for optimal growth. It can be propagated by division and stem tubers. |
| Etymology | The genus Dioscorea is named after Dioscorides Pedanios of Anazarbeus, a 1st Century Greek physician and herbalist who was the author of 'Materia Medica'. The specific epithet pyrifolia is Latin for "pear-leaved". The English common name refers to the flower's scent. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Storage Organs Medicinal: Traditional Medicinal Use In Malaysia, the raw tubers are used in traditional medicine for poulticing sores and treating swellings and bites <2>. It is important to note that some therapeutic effects from traditional medicinal uses of plants are not currently supported or verified by scientific research. Timber & Products: In Indonesia, the stems are used for making cords and furniture (from hard fibre). Others: In Malaysia, the tubers are eaten after baking or boiling for 2- 3 times. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | General, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola |
|---|---|
| Thematic Landscaping | Economic Garden |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Spines/Thorns - Stem/Branch, Toxic Upon Ingestion |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | Spines/Thorns Stem branches: The stems are covered in prickles, which may injure passers-by. Toxic Upon Ingestion: All plant parts contain neurotoxic alkaloids, dioscorine and dioscoricine, which can cause throat discomfort, giddiness, nausea, vomiting and sleepiness when consumed. Keep plants out of reach of children and pets. |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
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Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water, Lots of Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Storage Organ |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Papery |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite, Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate, Cordate, Hastate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse, Cordate, Sagittate, Hastate |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Specialised Storage Organ(s) | Underground |
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Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious |
| Flower Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute |
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| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Inflorescence Type | Spike, Spikelet / Pseudospikelet / Compound Spike |
| Ovary Position | Inferior / Epipgynous |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule |
References
| References | <1>Burkill, I.H. (1951). Dioscoreaceae. In: Van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed) Flora Malesiana, Ser. 1, Seed Plants, Vol. 4: 293–335. Leiden: Noordhoff. <2> Chung, R.C.K. (2001). Dioscorea L. In: van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. <3> 35. Dioscorea pyrifolia Kunth L. e-Flora of Thailand. https://botany.dnp.go.th/eflora/floraSpecies.html?tdcode=04146 (Accessed 2 March 2026) |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 33019 |
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| Species ID | 7433 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
