Potatoes

Potato

　　Potato

　　The scientific name of the potato is Solanum tuberosum. "Potato" is the common name, and in some regions, it is called "yangyu." The initial leaves are simple and entire. As the plant grows, it gradually develops pinnately compound leaves. The inflorescence is a cyme, with flowers in white, light blue, purple, and light red. The potato is also known as "fanshu" or "malingshu."

　　It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Solanum in the family Solanaceae. Its scientific name is Solanum tuberosum, and it is also commonly known as "yangyu," "shanyao dan," "shuzai" (commonly used in Guangdong and Hong Kong/Macao), "doudouzi," "dandan" (commonly used in Shandong), and "digua" (commonly used in cities and counties such as Xinyi in northern Jiangsu, especially between Xuzhou and Lianyungang). The tuber is edible and serves as an important crop for both food and vegetables.

　　Some scholars believe there are seven cultivated species of potatoes, primarily distributed in the temperate and subtropical regions of the Andes Mountains in South America and their nearby coastal areas. The most important cultivated species is the tetraploid variety. The tetraploid cultivated potato spread to various parts of the world, initially introduced to Spain in Europe from short-day types in Colombia, South America, in 1570. Through artificial selection, it became a long-day type; it later spread to Asia, North America, southern Africa, and Australia. Potatoes are high-yielding, nutrient-rich, and adaptable to various environments. They are now grown all over the world, and even in tropical and subtropical countries, they can be cultivated in winter or cooler seasons with good yields.