Dioscorea subnigra Knuth (1934: 126)

Raz, Lauren, 2016, Untangling the West Indian Dioscoreaceae: New combinations, lectotypification and synonymy, Phytotaxa 258 (1), pp. 26-48 : 42

4. Dioscorea subnigra Knuth (1934: 126) . Type:— DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Santo Domingo: Cordillera Central, Villa Altagracia, Loma Marian Chicle, 800 m, Ekman 14248 ♀ (holotype B!, isotype S!)

Notes: This taxon is known only from the type collection; no staminate specimens are known. The organization of the higher vein orders in the leaves is similar to that found in some forms of D. polygonoides , but it is unusual in having a slightly lobed margin and the leaves drying black. In these latter aspects it somewhat resembles D. tamoidea Grisebach but the fruits are unusually large and round. Further study is required to determine whether it merits recognition at species level, if at all. Characters of the androecium are important in species delimitation in Dioscorea sect. Lychnostemon . Not having seen any staminate specimens that correspond to this phenotype, it is premature to make a decision about synonymy.