Coleus rotundifolius

Coleus rotundifolius, synonyms Plectranthus rotundifolius and Solenostemon rotundifolius,[1] commonly known as native or country potato in Africa and called Chinese potato in India, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to tropical Africa. It is cultivated for its edible tubers primarily in West Africa, as well as more recently in parts of Asia, especially India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia.[2]

Coleus rotundifolius
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Coleus
Species:
C. rotundifolius
Binomial name
Coleus rotundifolius
(Poir.) A.Chev. & Perrot[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Calchas parviflorus (Benth.) P.V.Heath
  • Coleus dysentericus Baker
  • Coleus pallidiflorus A.Chev.
  • Coleus parviflorus Benth.
  • Coleus rehmannii Briq.
  • Coleus rotundifolius var. nigra A.Chev.
  • Coleus rugosus Benth.
  • Coleus salagensis Gürke
  • Coleus ternatus (Sims) A.Chev.
  • Coleus tuberosus (Blume) Benth.
  • Germanea rotundifolia Poir.
  • Majana tuberosa (Blume) Kuntze
  • Nepeta madagascariensis Lam.
  • Plectranthus coppinii Heckel
  • Plectranthus ternatus Sims
  • Plectranthus rotundifolius (Poir.) Spreng.
  • Plectranthus tuberosus Blume
  • Solenostemon rotundifolius (Poir.) J.K.Morton
Flowers
Tubers, with ruler

C. rotundifolius is closely related to the coleus plants widely cultivated as ornamentals and is now again placed in the genus Coleus, after being placed in the defunct genus Solenostemon and in Plectranthus.[1]

Use and cultivation

The egg-shaped tubers of the native potato appear very similar to the unrelated true potato, though they are smaller than modern commercial varieties. They are typically boiled, but may also be roasted, baked, or fried. Their flavor is bland, but sweeter than Coleus esculentus.[2]

Native potato is overwhelmingly a subsistence crop, though flour milling is reported in Burkina Faso.[2]

C. rotundifolius is one of three Coleus species native to Africa grown for their edible tubers and using the same vernacular names. The others, C. esculentus and C. edulis, native to southern Africa and Ethiopia, respectively, have not spread beyond Africa. Its cultivation has been largely displaced by the spread of cassava, which was introduced by the Portuguese to Africa from South America about 500 years ago.[3]

Names

In Africa, Coleus rotundifolius is also known as the Hausa potato or Sudan potato, in addition to the names native potato and country potato.[3]

Vernacular names of Coleus rotundifolius
RegionLanguageTerm
International
and
Europe
English Chinese, country, Coleus, Frafra, Hausa, native, Sudan, or Zulu potato
French pomme de terre de Madagascar, du Soudan ou d'Afrique
coléus à tubercules
Africa
Chadngaboyo
Dioula, Miniankafabirama, fabourama
Frafra (Gurenne)pesa, pessa
Hausatumuku
Mandinka,
Bambara
fa-birama. fabirama (fabourama)
usu ni gé (oussou-ni-gué)
usu ni fin (oussou-ni-fing)
Mossi (Mooré)peinssa
South Asia
Kannadaಸಂಬ್ರಾಣಿ saṃbrāni (sambrani)
Konkaniकूक kūka (kooka)

And

झाड़े कणगा

( Jhade Kanaga)

Malayalamകൂർക്ക kūrkka (koorka, koorkka)
Sinhalaඉන්නල innala
Tamilசிறு கிழங்கு ciṟu kiḻaṅku (siru kizhangu)
South East
Asia
Thaiมันขี้หนู, man khee nuu
Indonesiankentang hitam, Jawa, or kleci
Javanesekentang ireng
Malayubi keling, ubi kemili

See also

References

  1. Paton, Alan J.; Mwanyambo, Montfort; Govaerts, Rafaël H.A.; Smitha, Kokkaraniyil; Suddee, Somran; Phillipson, Peter B.; Wilson, Trevor C.; Forster, Paul I. & Culham, Alastair (2019). "Nomenclatural changes in Coleus and Plectranthus (Lamiaceae): a tale of more than two genera". PhytoKeys. 129: 1–158. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.129.34988. PMC 6717120. PMID 31523157.
  2. National Research Council (2006). Lost crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. pp. 269–285. ISBN 0-309-66582-5.
  3. Blench, Roger (2006). Archaeology, language, and the African past. Altamira Press. ISBN 9780759104655.
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