Characteristics
A short herb. It grows 15 cm high. It has low spreading branches. The stems arise from a tuberous rootstock. The tubers are oval and cream. They taper towards the bottom. They are 15 cm long and 6 cm wide. The tubers and the plant have milky latex. The leaves are opposite and very narrow. They are long and slightly hairy.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
-
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
-
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
0.15
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a tropical plant. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 2,400 m altitude. It is most common between 1,500-1,800 m altitude.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The tubers are peeled and eaten raw.
| Uses |
-
|
| Edible
|
roots
tubers
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
| Mode |
-
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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