An Account of the Genus Dioscorea in the East

Abstract

YAMS must have been one of the foods of primitive man, and in their wild state they still form one of the chief components in the diet of jungle tribes; indeed, in times of failing rainfall and consequent scarcity, they rise to a prime importance for the survival of individuals in remote tracts. These tubers are commonly found at a considerable depth underground, sometimes as much as five feet, and are often protected against the depredations of wild animals, principally pigs, by thorny growth above the tubers themselves. Considerable labour is demanded for their extraction, especially in times of duress when drought has hardened the soil. The wild man's tools are of poor quality, and it is at such times that the curse of Adam lies heavy on the untutored savage. An Account of the Genus Dioscorea in the East (Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, Vol. 14.) Part 2: The Species which Twine to the Right; with Addenda to Part 1, and a Summary. By D. Prain and I. H. Burkill. Pp. viii + 211-528 + xx + plates 86–150. (Alipore: Bengal Government Press, 1939.) 67 rupees; £5.