Dioscorea communis is native and widespread throughout southern and central Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia, from Ireland to the Canary Islands, east to Iran and Crimea.

[1][4][5][6][7][8] Dioscorea communis is a typical plant of the forest understory, from the sea to the mountains, usually in dense woods, but it can also be found in meadows and hedges.

All components of the black bryony plant, including the tubers, are poisonous due to saponin content, so it is not typically used internally.

[citation needed] An exception is only reported for young shoots, which are harvested when saponin content is still low and consumed as vegetable.

Studies have isolated calcium oxalate deposits and histamines in the berry juice and rhizomes, which may contribute to skin irritation and contact dermatitis associated with black bryony.