Tamus communis L., also known as Dioscorea communis (L.), or black bryony, is a very common plant in woods and hedges. It is found all over Europe, from Ireland to the Canary archipelago, North Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean, to Crimea and Iran.
The word bryony comes from Middle English brionie , from Latin bryōnia , in
turn from Ancient Greek βρυωνία . It is sometimes used as a girl’s name. And why black? From the aspect of the tuber, i.e., rhizome.
The vine is endemic in the forest understory, usually in dense woods; but it can also be found in hedges and meadows.
It is a climbing herbaceous plant growing to 2–4 m tall (8-15 ft), with twining stems. Leaves, heart-shaped, spirally disposed, are up to 10 cm (4 in) long and 8 cm (3 in) broad, with a petiole up to 5 cm (2 in) long. Male and female plants are separate. Flowers are small in size. The fruit is a bright red berry. It is utterly toxic. The fairly large black rhizomes, like the rest of the plant, is poisonous.
In southwestern France, where we live, the young (March-May) shoots of black bryony are a coveted delicacy. Indeed, they are the only non-poisonous parts of the plant. They are bitter, though, so they need blanching in hot water. In the early spring, people in the Albi area rush to collect it. They have been known to drive 200 km to fetch a bunch. Such an attraction is comparable to that of the cèpes mushrooms.
These young shoots, once cooked, are comparable in taste to wild asparagus, also picked in the same regions, in-between the Massif Centrral and the Pyrénées mountains.
A traditional name for this plant, in that area, is herbe aux femmes battues, i.e., herb for battered women. Indeed, the (toxic) chemicals present in the rhizome (tuber) can serve as a poultice for bruises , being both analgesic and anti-inflammatory.