Dioscorea pentaphylla L.

Uwi daun lima (Dioscorea pentaphylla) is a climbing plant 4-7 meters long of the Dioscoreaceae family, a plant native to Asia including China, India, and Indonesia, now also cultivated as far as Cuba and Hawaii. Its tuber is an important food source for communities in various tropical regions. Traditionally, uwi daun lima is also believed to be antiseptic and help address rheumatism and swelling.

This plant has a natural habitat in forests at elevations of 500-1,000 m above sea level. Grows well in lowlands and well-drained soil conditions with temperatures of 26-34 °C and rainfall of 1,300-1,700 mm/year.
 

• Tuber round to elliptical shape, brown on the outside, tuber flesh white or pale yellow, sometimes purple with spots.
• Stem twines to the left, diameter 7-10 mm, thorny at the lower part of the stem.
• Leaves green, compound, crosswise, oblong shape, lance-shaped to inverted egg-shaped, smooth edges, curved venation, leaf size 15 x 4.5 cm.
• Flowers compound, panicle-shaped, 10-15 cm in size, calyx and petals star-shaped, white in color.
• Fruit capsule-shaped, 2-3 cm long, brown to blackish in color.
   

Propagated generatively (by seed) and vegetatively (tubers and cuttings).
 

Tannins, amylose, amylopectin, alkaloids, saponins, diosgenin.

Antiseptic and treatment of bacterial and fungal infections, rheumatism remedy, boils, and swelling.
 

• Harvest the uwi tuber. Wash with water until clean then drain and slice thinly.
• Arrange the tubers on a tray then dry in direct sunlight covered with a thin black cloth, or use an oven at 40 ºC until the moisture content reaches 10%.
• Once dry, store in an airtight container.
   

Huwi dewata (Sunda), Katak dewot (Central Java), Rabel bangkat (Madura), Samowan (Bali), Kao (Bima), Abubo (Makassar), Aforo (Bugis), Ahei (Ambon), Lae (Seram), Lahi (Buru), Nunuta (Halmahera).