Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus *Dioscorea* (family *Dioscoreaceae*) that form edible tubers. Yams are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and subtropical world regions. The tubers themselves are also called "yams", having numerous cultivars. In parts of the United States and Canada, "yam" is sometimes used to refer to varieties of the completely unrelated sweet potato (*Ipomoea batatas*).[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_(vegetable)]