Manihot esculenta, commonly called cassava (/kəˈsɑːvə/), manioc, yuca, macaxeira, mandioca, aipim,and agbeli, is a woody shrub native to South America of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates.