View crop

Oxalis tuberosa

Authority	Molina
Family	Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Geraniales:Oxalidaceae
Synonyms	Oxalis crenata
Common names	apiha, apilla, huisisai, ibia (Colombia), ibias (South America), kao, kawi (Aymara), knollen sauerklee, oca, okka, okta (Quechua), oqa, oxalis, papa colorada (Mexico), papa roja, quiba (Venezuela), ruba, sorrel, timbo, truffette acide, yam (NZ)
Editor
Ecocrop code	2371

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A herbaceous plant first erect and later prostate. The tubers are claviform-ellipsoid and cylindrical, with buds on the whole surface and varigated in white, yellow, red and purple colours. The leaves are trifoliate, with petrioles of 2-9 cm in length. USES The tuber is first sun-dried to make it sweeter and the parboiled or roasted. It can also be grounded into flour and used in porridges and desserts. KILLING T Frost kills back its foliage, however, the plant's tubers have exceptional regenerative capacity. GROWING PERIOD Perennial, normally grown as an annual. Tubers can be harvested after about 8 months. COMMON NAMES Oca, Oxalis, New Zealand yam, Oqa, O'qa, Ok'a, Okka, Apina, Apilla, Kawi, Ibia, Quiba, Cuiba, Huisisai, Ibias, Papa roja, Sorrel, Kao, Truffette acide, Knollen-sauerklee, Ruba, Timbo, Papa colorado. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: O. crenata. Oca is native of the Andean Mountains in South America. In New Zealand, it can be grown near sea level and in the Andean mountains at elevations from 2800 to 4200 m. Require days shorter than 12 hours to initiate tuber formation. Yields may be up to 40-50 t/ha of fresh tuber or 6-7 t/ha of dry matter.
Sources
SOURCES (O. tuberosa Molina) Vietmeyer N 1989 pp 83-91 [PHO, RAIN, KTMP, TEMP, TEXT, FER, PH] Roecklein J 1987 pp 467 [USE, TEMP] Purseglove J 1974 pp 638 [USE] Bermejo J 1994 pp 149-152 [USE, FER]