New World and History of Food. The 'dulce tubérculo' ('Ipomoea batatas') of the Chroniclers of the Indies
Abstract
The edible tuberous root known as sweet potato or yam (Ipomea batatas) is mentioned in many chronicles of the Americas of the 16th and 17th centuries that highlight its characteristics, turnip-like form, color, flavor and ways to eat it. But some of those characteristics are shared by other similar and edible tuberous roots, except those that are eaten raw. This leads us to think that the chroniclers may have often confused their names and mistaken the jícama (Pachyrhizus ahipa, P. erosus) or the yacón (Samallanthus sonchifolius, Polymnia sonchifolia) with the camote or batata. This article attempts to clarify this issue by way of a meticulous bibliographic review.
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