Oxalis tuberosa (Oxalidaceae) is a perennial herbaceous plant that overwinters as underground stem tubers. These tubers are known as oca, from the Quechua words okka, oqa, and uqa; New Zealand yam; and a number of other alternative names. The plant was brought into cultivation in the central and southern Andes for its tubers, which are used as a root vegetable. The plant is not known in the wild, but populations of wild Oxalis species that bear smaller tubers are known from four areas of the central Andean region. Oca was introduced to Europe in 1830 as a competitor to the potato and to New Zealand as early as 1860. In New Zealand, oca has become a popular table vegetable and is simply called yam.
Read more about Oxalis Tuberosa: Cultural Significance, Diversity, Edibility, Cultivation, Conservation Efforts, Alternative Names