Ullucus tuberosus

Ullucus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Basellaceae, with one species, Ullucus tuberosus, a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable. The name ulluco is derived from the Quechua word ulluku, but depending on the region, it has many different names. These include illaco (in Aymara), melloco (in Ecuador), chungua or ruba (in Colombia), olluco or papa lisa (in Bolivia and Peru), or ulluma (in Argentina). Ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato. The tuber is the primary edible part, but the leaf is also used and is similar to spinach. They are known to contain high levels of protein, calcium, and carotene. Ulluco was used by the Incas prior to the arrival of Europeans in South America. The scrambling herbaceous plant grows up to 50 cm (20 in) high and forms starchy tubers below ground. These tubers are typically smooth and can be spherical or ......read more on Wikipedia.