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Manihot esculenta

Crantz (1766)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Euphorbiaceae Genus: Manihot

cassava, manioc, tapioca, tapioca plant

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Synonyms (70)

Janipha aipi (Pohl) J.Presl (1846)
Janipha manihot (L.) Kunth (1817)
Jatropha aipi (Pohl) Göpp. (1857)
Jatropha diffusa (Pohl) Steud. (1840)
Jatropha digitiformis (Pohl) Steud. (1840)
Jatropha dulcis J.F.Gmel. (1773)
Jatropha flabellifolia (Pohl) Steud. (1840)
Jatropha glauca A.Rich. (1850)
Jatropha janipha Lour. (1790)
Jatropha lobata var. richardiana Müll.Arg. (1866)
Jatropha loureiroi (Pohl) Steud. (1840)
Jatropha manihot L. (1753)
Jatropha mitis Rottb. (1778)
Jatropha paniculata Ruiz & Pav. ex Pax (1910)
Jatropha silvestris Vell. (1831)
Jatropha stipulata Vell. (1831)
Mandioca aipi (Pohl) Link (1831)
Mandioca dulcis (J.F.Gmel.) D.Parodi (1877)
Mandioca utilissima (Pohl) Link (1831)
Manihot aipi Pohl (1827)
Manihot aipi var. lanceolata Pohl (1827)
Manihot aipi var. latifolia Pohl (1827)
Manihot aipi var. lutescens Pohl (1827)
Manihot aypi Spruce (1861)
Manihot cannabina Sweet (1830)
Manihot cassava Cook & Collins (1903)
Manihot diffusa Pohl (1827)
Manihot digitiformis Pohl (1827)
Manihot dulcis (J.F.Gmel.) Baill. (1884)
Manihot dulcis var. aipi (Pohl) Pax (1910)
Manihot dulcis var. diffusa (Pohl) Pax (1910)
Manihot dulcis var. flabellifolia (Pohl) Pax (1910)
Manihot edule A.Rich. (1850)
Manihot esculenta subsp. alboerecta Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta subsp. diffusa Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta subsp. flabellifolia (Pohl) Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta subsp. grandifolia Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. argentea Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. coalescens Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. communis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. debilis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. digitifolia Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. domingensis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. fertilis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. flavicaulis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. fuscescens Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. hispaniolensis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. jamaicensis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. luteola Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. mutabilis Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. nodosa Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. pohlii Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. ramosissima Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. rufescens Cif. (1942)
Manihot esculenta var. sprucei Lanj. (1931)
Manihot esculenta var. zimmermannii Cif. (1942)
Manihot flabellifolia Pohl (1827)
Manihot flexuosa Pax & K.Hoffm. (1924)
Manihot guyanensis Klotzsch ex Pax (1910)
Manihot loureiroi Pohl (1827)
Manihot manihot (L.) H.Karst. (1882)
Manihot melanobasis Müll.Arg. (1865)
Manihot palmata var. aipi (Pohl) Müll.Arg. (1866)
Manihot palmata var. diffusa (Pohl) Müll.Arg. (1866)
Manihot palmata var. digitiformis (Pohl) Müll.Arg. (1833)
Manihot palmata var. flabellifolia (Pohl) Müll.Arg. (1866)
Manihot sprucei Pax (1910)
Manihot utilissima Pohl (1827)
Manihot utilissima var. castellana Pohl (1827)
Manihot utilissima var. sutinga Pohl (1827)

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Edible roots

  • Thoroughly cooked roots are eaten like potatoes, and is used to make tapioca

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Potentially naturalizing
Hawai'i Potentially naturalizing

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • Roots eaten uncooked or raw, can cause cyanide poisoning
  • Some varieties are harmless, but many carry a poison (cyanide) that is neutralized by cooking
  • Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include dizzy, tiredness, stomach pain, vomiting, and excessive sweating

Bibliography

Name Published In: Inst. Rei Herb. 1: 167 (1766)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:625 (noted as occasionally adventive, but not nat.); Staples & Herbst 2005:278, 279 (KEY), 291 (DESCR); Frohlich & Lau 2012:36 (NEWNAT/K, O, DESCR)

Poisonous Plants of Paradise (Scott and Thomas) p.29-31

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Manihot esculenta Waialua Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. 3930 Oahu BISH 1945-08-29
2 Manihot esculenta Kaneohe, on grounds of Kaneohe Catholic Manastery Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. 234 Oahu BISH 1959-03-06
3 Manihot esculenta Waialua Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. 34 Oahu BISH 1945-08-26
4 Manihot esculenta None Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 560 Hawaii BISH 1864-01-01
5 Manihot esculenta Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 560 Hawaii BISH 1864-01-01
6 Manihot esculenta Honolulu; Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. Oahu BISH 1962-03-20
7 Manihot esculenta Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 664 Oahu BISH 1908-11-07
8 Manihot esculenta Nr. BYU-HC, Laie Slope 0 degrees, Soil- silty loam. Preserved_Specimen Shrub to 6' tall. Palmate leaves, undeveloped flowers, 6 winged fruits. Afualo, D. 111 Oahu BISH 1975-03-25
9 Manihot esculenta old railroad bed just outside the northeast boundary of Malama Ki Forest Reserve, Puna District In an ash soil. Preserved_Specimen An 8' shrub with a 10' spread in excellent health. Clarke, G. 556 Hawaii BISH 1981-01-12
10 Manihot esculenta H3 Halawa- UTM 2367484, 617550 Patch of 6 to 10 plants growing in thick Guinea grass understory. Preserved_Specimen Semiwoody tree with birttle stems, petioles crimson. No flowers or fruit seen. OED 2009101501 Oahu BISH 2009-10-15
11 Manihot esculenta Kauai Lowland mesic residential setting. Preserved_Specimen Sprawling shrub/thicket about 8 -10 feet tall, occasionally climbing trees to 20 feet high. OED 2010031001 Kauai BISH 2010-03-10
12 Manihot esculenta Hauula: Hauula II Chapple Slope 0 degrees. Soil-sandy. Preserved_Specimen Tall 6 ft. Avilla, J.J. Oahu BISH 1975-04-04
13 Manihot esculenta old railroad bed just outside the northeast boundary of Malama Ki Forest Reserve, Puna District Growing in ash soil. Found occasionally along the roadside. Preserved_Specimen An 8' shrub with a 10' spread in excellent health. Clarke, G. 556 Hawaii BISH 1981-01-12
14 Manihot esculenta Hoary Head Range, E of Omoe, 210 m. Along cane road Preserved_Specimen Shrub ca. 2.5 m tall. Wagner, W.L. 6005 Kauai BISH 1988-04-06
15 Manihot esculenta Puhi Camp, west of Kauai Community College Preserved_Specimen Spindly shrubs of 7 ft. Stem dark glossy green. Petiole bright green with reddish blush. Leaf blade above somewhat glossy green with light veins. Flowers light green with reddish edges to sepals. Fruit green, glossy, with ridges having red edge. Flynn, T.W. 1643 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
16 Manihot esculenta Lihue District, Haiku, where Aakukui Road crosses Puhi Stream Preserved_Specimen Long, sparingly branched stems to about 15 ft. long. Herbst, D.R. 5559 Kauai BISH 1975-11-17
17 Manihot esculenta East Maui, Hana District, Honomaele, on side of Ulaino Rd Preserved_Specimen 1m tall shrubs. Oppenheimer, H.L. 60124 Maui BISH 2001-06-11
18 Manihot esculenta Near end of dead end road leading north from old Route 56 just east of Kilauea. Disturbed area (abandoned plantation housing?) along roadside Preserved_Specimen Brittle, mound-forming shrub to ca. 2 m high with milky juice. Fay, J.J. 202 Kauai BISH 1974-05-03
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