Solanum Tuberosum

The potato plant is originary from The Andes, but nowadays it grows around the world. It’s an herbaceous plant, perennial, tuberous, deciduous and it can grows up to a meter. Pollination is entomophilous, by insects. Normally is crossed, but also is possible the autopollination. The plant is formed by erect or semidecumbent stems, modified on the underground as tubers, which is the eatable part, the potatoes. Leaves are compound, pinniatipartite and altern. Potato plant’s flowers are grouped in top, they can be white or violet, and have five yellow stamens which make them a lot of attractive. The flowers are compound by a calyx with five sepals and a rotacia, actinomorphic and gamopetalous corolla, with five soldier petals. The fruit is a green and toxic berry, because it contains a high solanine level. The tubers also are de medicinal part of the plant, and it is used to make excipients. They have properties like: good liver and gallblader protector, digestive and diuretic. Also it reduces cholesterol, fat taxes, and sugar concentrations in blood, because it contains insuline. Potatoes are formed by parenchymal tissue, where is accumulated large reserves of starch. Also it retains large quantities of water, about 80%, minerals, proteins, enzymes, vitamins, toxins, cellulose, and others. The rest of the plant is very toxic, because it contains solanine Eating crude potatoes with wedges can produce intoxications from solanine, present in those. Solanine is an alkaloide that in low doses acts as a painkiller, but in high doses acts as a narcotic and hemostatic.