Author Topic: Edible Purple Air Potatoe/Dioscorea Bulbifera - specimen discussion request  (Read 1653 times)

triphala

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I have found some semi wild Purple Air Potatoe/Dioscorea Bulbifera. its specs:
It has only green bulbifera leaves, small to big size air potatoes biggest is several pound, bulbils are smooth and rounded
Now the important part: The bulbils when raw are somewhat bitter and give intoxicating effect, BUT after boiling them they are NOT bitter. I ate a handful of the cooked and only feel a fraction of the intoxication caused by consuming 1/20 that amount of the raw.
In perspective in the past i encounter a bulbifera similar shape dont remember what exact colour, which after cooking was very very bitter and toxic the same as when it was raw.
 
So question :: are these to be considered edible or not.

 By comparision of the two mentioned = this purple one is EDIBLE.
In a few threads people have said that when a edible air potatoes varieties end up in the wild, they turn bitter and toxic. Can anyone comment on that ? Can the reverse happen ie. a semi bitter variety in cared enviorment loose its bitterneess, and if yes then could anything help to speed/help that reversal???  I believe 100% that this specimen formerly a Edible type (or still is) or it would not have got to this island and be in the type of place where found it.

Please do not send PM for a bulb will, after confirming its edibility status - notify when put on ebay

the attachement button not show or would put the picture
« Last Edit: December 09, 2014, 04:25:51 AM by triphala »

BMc

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watch out for dioscorine.

triphala

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I tried to cooking it for second try - this time changed the water once and this time there was no intoxicating effect. Perhaps putting extra water once (like double the height of cut potato) could do it in just one cook without changing.

triphala

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Someones comment by email:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<    I've heard of a number of edible varieties of blublifera, but their edibility occurs on a bit of a range, with some more edible than others.  It looks like that's what you got.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>