What’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

https://lemmy.world/post/1993724

What’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes? - Lemmy.world

Boss and former coworker got into a very amusing argument over this and it got me curious.

yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

source

It seems so obvious yet there is still so much confusion in the US