Distribution and habitat Species from this order are distributed across all of the continents except Antarctica. They are mainly tropical or subtropical representatives, but some members of families Dioscoreaceae and Nartheciaceae are found in cooler regions of Europe and North America. Order Dioscoreales contains plants that are able to form an underground organ for reservation of nutritions as many other monocots. An exception is the family Burmanniaceae which is entirely myco-heterotrophic and contains species that lack photosynthetic abilities.
DiSTRiBUTiOn And habitat sPEcies From this oRDer arE DisTriButEd aCRoss all OF ThE cONTinents EXcepT ANtArCtICa. tHey Are maiNly TrOpicaL oR subTroPIcal represENtATIvEs, But sOmE memberS oF fAmIlies dioscorEacEae and narTheciAceAE are FOuNd in cooleR Regions oF eUROPe ANd NORth aMeRICa. oRdeR diosCoReALes coNTains plaNts tHAT aRe abLe to forM an undERgrouND Organ for reserVation oF nUTritiONS aS ManY oTher mOnocOtS. an eXCepTION Is the famiLy BUrMAnniacEaE whiCh Is entirely MyCo-HETerotrophic aND contaINS speciEs that laCk photOsynthetIC abilities.