What Is The Scientific Name Of Jicama? (ANSWERS)

SCIENTIFIC NAME OF JICAMA – In this topic, we are going to know about the scientific name of jicama or known in the country as singkamas.

Also known as Mexican yam bean, or Mexican turnip, or in the Philippines as singkamas, it is a native Mexican vine. The name, however, is associated with its edible root.

It falls under the genus that is commonly referred to as yam bean. Jicama is also from the bean family Fabaceae.

Other names for this plant includes Mexican potato, ahipa, saa got, Chinese potato, and sweet turnip. The vine can reach a height of about 4-5 meters. The root can reach lengths up to 2 meters and can weigh up to 20 kilograms.

Scientific Name

The binomial nomenclature of jicama is none other than Pachyrhizus erosus.

The genus Pachyrhizus consists of five or six species of tropical and subtropical plants growing from large, often edible taproots.

It is derived from the two Greek words pachus (παχύς) which means thick, and rhiza (ῤίζα ) which means root, forming the word pachyrrhizos which means “thick root”.

The species erosus is a Latin term for “corroded”. It is the Perfect passive participle of ērōdō, which means to gnaw away.