Coleus esculentus (Tsenza) (live tuber)

Coleus esculentus (live bulb) (Plectranthus esculentus)

Family: Lamiaceae

Common names: wild potato, veld potato, African potato, Livingstone potato, veldaartappel, wilde-aartappel.

It is an erect to trailing, semi-succulent, deciduous, aromatic herb or shrublet that grows 600–1 200 mm tall. It has tuberous roots that are fleshy and swollen, similar to the ordinary potato. They are characteristic of the plant. Several hairy stems, woody at the base, unbranched to slightly branched, arise from the tuberous roots. Wild potato is very popular as a source of food for indigenous people as it is the most nutritious tuber of all tuber vegetables and contains a high level of starch (80%). In addition to its high starch content, it contains 13% essential amino acids, which are essential to the body for constructing proteins, as well as other important vitamins and mineral elements, such as calcium, iron and vitamin A.