yam
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yam
Yam
any one of more than 30 plant species of the genus Dioscorea of the family Dioscoreaceae. Yams are cultivated for their tubers in the tropics and subtropics. The tubers are different morphologically (thickening of the hypocotyl, internodes, or rhizomes). In some species, they reach a length of 1.5 m and a weight of 50 kg. The tubers are used as food in a way similar to potatoes. The poisonous substances found in the tubers of some species are usually destroyed during boiling or baking. The most important species are the Chinese yam (D. batatas), winged yam (D. alata), D. esculenta, and the air potato (D. bulbifera).
REFERENCES
Ipat’ev, A. N. Ovoshchnye rasteniia zemnogo shara. Minsk, 1966.Siniagin, I. I. Tropicheskoe zemledelie. Moscow, 1968.
Uphof, J. C. T. Dictionary of Economic Plants, 2nd ed. Lehre, 1968.
What does it mean when you dream about a yam?
Yams are usually associated with the holiday season. The dreamer’s associations with this symbol may be rooted in memories of family celebrations. As a plant that grows under the ground, the yam is also a natural symbol of something deeply rooted in the unconscious mind.