Cultivated in homesteads An important tuber crop. The tuberous roots are sweet, laxative, diuretic, at aphrodisiac and tonic. They are useful in burning sensation, constipation and general weakness.
Details
§ 01
uses
An important tuber crop. The tuberous roots are sweet, laxative, diuretic, at aphrodisiac and tonic. They are useful in burning sensation, constipation and general weakness.
family
Convolvulaceae
synonym
Convolvulus batatas L., Convolvulus apiculata M. Martens & Galeotti
description
Twiners; stem rooting at nodes, root tuberous. Leaves variable, from cordate to ovate, entire, dentate or often deeply lobed, 5-10 cm long. Inflorescences of solitary or few-flowered cymes. Flowers absent in some varieties, pedicel 3-12 mm long. Sepals oblong, the outer sepals acuminate and cuspidate, 10-15 mm long, mostly pubescent or only ciliate. Corolla with a lavender to purple-lavender limb and darker throat, white in some varieties, 4-7 cm long. Fruits rarely formed, ovoid, glabrous; seeds rotund, glabrous.