Air potato is a fast growing vine in the yam family (Dioscoreaceae) that has been spreading throughout Florida since the early 1900’s when it was introduced from Asia as an ornamental. The picture below, taken in March before the vines start to sprout, shows a potato or “bulbil” (red arrow) hanging from last year’s withered vine up in an oak tree. The bulbils drop to the ground and sprout, resulting in dense monocultures that smother native vegetation.
* but we could be wrong--help us update the lily beetle's geographic distribution by reporting an infestation!