Bulbil, the aerial propagating structure of dioscoreas appearing in the axil of leaf or bract, shows diversity in its size and form. The morphology, anatomy and development of bulbil in 11 species ofDioscorea is described. The bulbil resembles the tuberous underground stem in having cork, cork cambium and parenchymatous ground tissue with scattered vascular bundles. The bulbil develops as a composite structure due to diffused growth of more than one accessory bud arising on the abaxial side of the axillary bud.