Manioc

The manioc or cassava is a shrub native to South America that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, which is a major source of carbohydrates. It is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food in the world, with Africa its largest center of production.

The root is long and tapered, with a firm homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1 mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. Commercial varieties can be 5 to 10 cm in diameter at the top, and 50 to 80 cm long. A woody cordon runs along the root's axis. The flesh can be chalk-white or yellowish; raw cassava tastes like a mixture of potato and coconut flesh, it breaks like a acrrot, and darkens quickly upon exposure to air.