Manioc

Manioc or cassava : from the Brazilian Mandioca, is a perennial small shrub of the Euphorbiaceae family, native to South America. In Mayotte, the word refers to the plant root and to the plant itself.
There exist two kinds of manioc : bitter manioc (Manihot esculenta) whose starch is used to make tapioca and sweet manioc (Manihot dulcis) eaten as a vegetable.

Manioc constitutes an important food resource in West Africa and in Madagascar. It is used to make sauce and alcoholic drinks in South America, such as the Guiana "cachiri". The flour obtained from the manioc roots can be used to prepare cakes sometimes called manioc breads.