https://i.imgur.com/k3pIsTf.jpg?1
It's not purple, although when I cut it up I found 2 small streaks of purple-ish. The yam can also be white, apparently. So basically, when I went back in that dense jungle, I found the two types of air potato growing intertwined. I found my vine of D. alata (the very edible variety) and could not connect it to the root. I found this root a couple of feet away with a stem that had been cut. Because the two types are growing together, it could technically belong to the other type. However, the other type typically does not make roots in Florida. And when it does, they are typically baseball sized. The alata's root is much bigger. This is a big root. However, it's technically still within size range of either species. It is probably alata. But it could be bulbifera. I did research bulbifera and what I read says that the aerial tubers (the bubils) are poisonous. However, the root (NOT bubil) can be eaten if boiled twice with a change of water. The alata can be eaten with 1 boiling. Neither can be eaten raw.
My plan? I peeled it and cut it up. I am boiling the crap out of it. I am going to change the water and boil a second time. After that, I will take a tiny tiny taste. If it is bitter, I will throw it out. If it is not, I might take a tiny small nibble. And then see what happens. I don't really plan on eating any more than a tiny nibble, even if nothing happens. This was mostly a practice run.
Regardless, I AM THRILLED I got this sucker. I think I will be better at it in the future and definitely get a solid ID.