Ahipa, Yam bean

Pachyrhizus ahipa

Physical Characteristics

Pachyrhizus ahipa is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

S. America.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root Seedpod Edible Uses: Root - raw or cooked[2]. Thirst quenching and nutritious with an easily digested starch[196]. The root is slow to discolour and remains crisp after slicing so it is often used in green and in fruit salads[196]. Young seed pods - cooked and used like French beans[1, 46, 61]. The pods must be thoroughly cooked in order to remove the toxic principle rotenone[200]. It is thought that some varieties might be free of rotenone and their mature seeds could therefore be used as a protein crop[196].

Medicinal Uses

None known

Known Hazards

The seed and green parts of the plant contain an insecticide (probably rotenone) and might be poisonous to people[196].