Sudan potato
Plectranthus parviflorus

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A herb or shrub that grows from a tuberous rootstock. It can be 20 cm to 1 m tall. The leaves are 1-3 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. They have large teeth along the edge. Leaves are hairy. The flowering shoots are 30 cm long. They flowers are 4-5 mm across and in rings of six. The fruit are 4-5 mm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in drier areas. Plants can produce with 100 mm of rainfall.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Hawaii, Malaysia, Pacific, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The tubers are boiled or baked like a potato and eaten as a vegetable.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, roots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. They can also be grown from cuttings 10-20 cm long and by division of the sprouting tubers.

Tubers are ready 4-5 months after planting. Yields of 4-7 tonnes per hectare are possible.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Germanea australis (R. Br.) Britten; Germanea parviflora Poir.; Lumnitzera moschata (R. Br.) Spreng.; Majana parviflora (Poir.) Kuntze; Moschosma australe (R. Br.) Benth.; Moschosma brownii Heynh.; Moschosma moschatum (R. Br.) Druce; Plectranthus australis R. Br.; Plectranthus klossii S. Moore; Plectranthus moschatus R. Br.; Plectranthus paniculatus Jacq.; Plectranthus parviflorus Spreng. [Illegitimate]: Plectranthus parviflorus var. australis (R. Br.) Briq.; Plectranthus parviflorus var. elatior Benth.; Plectranthus sieberi Benth.;