Cassava

Cassava is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to West Brazil that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. The flour made of the roots is called farinha de mandioca, biju and tapioca. Cassava is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food in the world. The name "cassava" is sometimes spelled cassaba or cassada. In English language publications, the plant may be occasionally called by local names, such as mandioca, aipim, or macaxeira (Brazil), kassav (Haiti), mandi¿o (Paraguay), akpu or ugburu (Nigeria), bankye(Twi-Speaking Ghana), mogo or mihogo (Swahili-speaking Africa), kappa (India), maniok (Sri Lanka), singkong (Indonesia), ubi kayu (Malaysia), kamoteng kahoy or balanghoy (Philippines), mushu (China), c¿ s¿n or khoai mì (Vietnam), simal tarul (Darjeeling, Sikkim), and manioke or manioca (Polynesia).