Cas"sa*va (kăs"s&adot;*v&adot;),
n. [F. cassave, Sp. cazabe, fr.
kasabi, in the language of Haiti.] 1.
(Bot.) A shrubby euphorbiaceous plant of the genus
Manihot, with fleshy rootstocks yielding an edible starch;
-- called also manioc.
&fist; There are two species, bitter and sweet,
from which the cassava of commerce is prepared in the West
Indies, tropical America, and Africa. The bitter (Manihot
utilissima) is the more important; this has a poisonous sap,
but by grating, pressing, and baking the root the poisonous
qualities are removed. The sweet (M. Aipi) is used as a
table vegetable.
2. A nutritious starch obtained from the
rootstocks of the cassava plant, used as food and in making
tapioca.
