Manihot
(the Brazilian name of the genus). SYNS. Janipha, Mandiocca. ORD. Euphorbiaceae. A genus comprising about eighty species of mostly green-house tall herbs or evergreen shrubs, all natives of America, and, for the most part, Brazilian; a few being dispersed through the warm regions as far as Mexico. Flowers usually rather large, racemose, monoecious, apetalous; racemes terminal, or in the axils of the upper leaves, simple, or slightly branched. Leaves alternate, petiolate, undivided, or often digitately three to sevenlobed or parted; segments petiolate or variously confluent, membranaceous or coriaceous, feather-veined, entire or sinuately lobed. Some of the species of this genus are of great economic value. From M. Aipi and M. utilissima, Cassava, or Mandiocca meal, is obtained. The root of the former plant is sweet and wholesome, and is utilised as a vegetable in its native country; but that of M. utilissima is virulently poisonous and bitter. The poisonous juice is, however, expressed in the process of manufacture, and, when allowed to settle, deposits what is known as Brazilian Arrowroot, or Tapioca. From this the Tapioca of our shops is prepared. The species are of little horticultural value. They thrive best in a compost of peat, loam, and sand, to which may be added a small quantity of charcoal. Propagated by cuttings of young, rather firm shoots, inserted in sandy peat, under a bell glass, in bottom heat.
M. Aipi (Aipi). Sweet Cassava. This differs from M. utilissima in having wholesome, sweet, reddish roots.
M. utilissima (most useful). fl. yellowish; calyx five-lobed or parted. July. l. seven to five (or three) parted, glaucous beneath; segments oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, acuminate, quite entire. Stems rising from long, thick, fleshy, cylindrical roots, erect, knotty, somewhat twisted. h. 3ft. South America, 1739. (B. M. 3071, under name of Janipha Manihot.)