Balkan Yam vs Chinese yam

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Dioscorea esculenta

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Chinese yam is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Chinese yam
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order same	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)
Family same	Dioscoreaceae	Dioscoreaceae
Genus same	Dioscorea	Dioscorea
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Dioscorea esculenta

Evolutionary Relationship

Balkan Yam and Chinese yam share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Dioscorea.

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Chinese yam

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Chinese yam
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Chinese yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Distributed across Burkina Faso, Colombia, and Seychelles.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Chinese yam

The Chinese Yam (Dioscorea esculenta) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. Distributed across Burkina Faso, Colombia, and Seychelles.