Apios americana

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iApios americana

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Apios
Species: A. americana
Binomial name
Apios americana
Medikus
Synonyms

A. tuberosa Moench

Apios americana, sometimes called the hog peanut, potato bean, or groundnut (but not to be confused with other plants sometimes known by the name groundnut) is a perennial vine native to eastern North America, and bears edible beans and large edible tubers. It grows to 3-4 m long, with pinnate leaves 8-15 cm long with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are red-brown to purple, produced in dense racemes. The fruit is a legume (pod) 6-12 cm long.

The tubers are crunchy and nutritious, with a high content of starch and especially protein. The plant was one of the most important food plants of pre-European North America, and is now being developed for domestication.

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