Black Bryony - Dioscorea communis

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Alternative names
Dioscorea communis
Description

Twining hairless plant to 4 metres. Leaves stalked, heart shaped and bright shiny green. Flowers greenish yellow tiny 3 to 6 mm the female in small clusters the male in long slender racemes. Fruit a bright shiny red fleshy poisonous berry.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Wood, scrub and hedgerows.

When to see it

May to August. The berries often persist into early winter.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Common throughout much of Britain.

VC55 Status

Quite common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 507 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Barbara Cooper
    Clawson Hill, Waltham Lane
    27 June 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Jubilee Walk, Leire
    05 June 2014
  • David Nicholls
    Burroughs Lane, Ratby
    10 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Thornton Reservoir
    05 June 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    24 July 2015
    unripe berries
  • David Nicholls
    Groby Pool
    15 September 2005

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Black Bryony
Species group:
Wildflowers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Dioscoreales
Family:
Dioscoreaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
265
First record:
01/07/1998 (John Mousley)
Last record:
28/10/2023 (Smith, Peter)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Thornton Reservoir
    16 November 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    07 November 2008
  • David Nicholls
    Groby Pool
    15 September 2005
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    10 May 2007
    male
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    03 September 2006
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Thornton Reservoir
    30 September 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Thornton Reservoir
    30 September 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ketton Quarry
    25 May 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Thornton Reservoir
    05 June 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Clawson Hill
    18 June 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Clawson Hill
    18 June 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ashby Canal, Shackerstone
    15 September 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Bramble Walk, near Cosby
    01 June 2014
  • David Nicholls
    Burroughs Road, Ratby
    20 October 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Countesthorpe Road, Cosby
    20 May 2016
  • Ron.stevens
    The Lake
    03 October 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Broughton Astley Brick Quarry
    25 June 2015
  • AJ Cann
    Bloody Oaks
    21 June 2015