Table 2 Lists of variety and sub-variety names and the underlying basis of the classification

 1

Karka-kachi

Present study, [12, 15]

W

PU

“Karka” means forest in Sheko dialect, and its name is said to be derived from the wild location. Whole tuber of Karka-Kachi is dark purple and bitter in taste. If tuber has bright orange color at stem junction, it is red (submseb); if it has dark grayish purple pigment at proximal end, it is black (tsaa’nseb), and if it is unpigmented, it is white (ga’nseb).

Karka-kachi submseb

Present study, [12]

PB

Karka-kachi tsaa’nseb

Karka-kachi ga’nseb

 2

Shah-boy, Karckabat

Present study, [14]

W

PU

“Shah” means forest in Bench dialect; its name thus refers to the area name in a wild place. Its tuber has pale purple color with few pale orange colors at proximal end.

 3

Upfa^a

[12]

W

SU

Name translation is not given. Yet, its tuber has patches of purple pigment at proximal end and white elsewhere

 4

Karka-Kachi

Present study, [12]

WT

PU

Tuber of this variety is generally pale purple. If it has dark purple pigment at stem junction, it is black (tsaa’nseb); if it is unpigmented, it is white (ga’nseb); if it has patches of orange color at proximal end and white elsewhere, it is spotted (guignseb).

Karka-kachi tsaa’nseb

PB

Karka-Kachi ga’nseb

Karka-Kachi guignseb

 5

Yasind

Present study, [14]

WT

SU

Tubers of Yasind varieties are very similar in size and shape. But, if its tuber has purple pigment at proximal end, it is black (Tsid); if it has patches of purple and orange color at proximal end and white elsewhere, it is white (Dal)

Tsid yasind

SB

Dal yasind

 6

Kaibab/Baidai-kachi

Present study, [12]

RT

PU

Kaibab is the area name in northeast Sheko. Baidai is said to come from a Kaibab area. Whole tuber is purple with white, but if it is grayish purple at proximal end, it is black (tsaa’nseb); if it is unpigmented, it is white (ga’nseb).

Kaibab-kachi tsaa’nseb

PB

Kaibab-kachi ga’nseb

 7

Chabsha

Present study, [14, 15]

RT

SU

Tubers of Chabsha varieties are similar in size and shape, but Tsid Chabsha has pale purple proximal end and pale gray stems, while Dal Chabsha does not.

Tsid Chabsha

Present study, [14]

SB

Dal Chabsha

 8

Tolubab

Present study, [14]

RT

SU

Name means “tubers with a bitter taste”. Tuber has patches of pale purple color at proximal end and white elsewhere

 9

Torbay

Present study, [12, 15]

RT

SU

Name means “tubers with a bad taste”. Tuber has patches of pale orange color at proximal end and white elsewhere

 10

Beri

Present study, [12, 14]

LT

SU

Name means “lowland desert” wherein it is said to come from lowland desert areas. The tuber and basal stem edges of this variety have pale purple pigment.

 11

Don

Present study, [12]

LT

SU

Don means “wide and short”; it is named so because its tuber does not elongate like other kinds. Tubers of Don varieties are similar in size and shape, but Don babu (fat man) has more strongly pigmented tubers and stems. Few farmers also explained that Don bayye (fat woman) show a tendency to branching

Don bayye

SB

Don babu

 12

Dizzu-Kachi

Present study, [12]

LT

PU

Dizzu is the Sheko term for their Bench neighbors to the east and is said to come from Bench areas. If the tuber and basal stems of this variety has dark purple color, it is black (tsaa’nseb), whereas ga’nseb does not.

Dizzu-Kachi tsaa’nseb

PB

Dizzu-Kachi ga’nseb

 13

Kachi-kundi^a

[12]

LT

SB

Kundi means “feather or filament at rear end of a chicken” Tubers has a considerable numbers of spiny roots on its crown

 14

Lekut

Present study

LT

SU

Tuber is white with purple at distal end and white elsewhere

 15

Logit

Present study

LT

SU

Tuber is purple with white at middle and white elsewhere

 16

Shure

Present study

LT

SU

Shure means “worm”. It is so named because tubers of this yam have a worm-like shape.

 17

Kachi-Kuch’ai^a

[12]

LT

SB

Tubers of easy cooking and tasty

 18

Konkay

Present study

LT

SU

Name means “crispy while eating”. The tuber and basal stems of this variety has a pronounced dark purple color.

 19

Banda boy

Present study, [14]

LT

SB

Name means “of multicolored”. White purple tuber and cylindrical shape. If it is white at distal end and white purple elsewhere, it is Tsam; if it is pale purple at proximal end and white elsewhere, it is Tsenah

Tsam banda boy

PB

Tsenah banda boy

 20

Shapinsin

Present study, [14]

LT

SU

Tuber is flat, white at distal end, and purple white elsewhere

 21

Kuchuu’bai

Present study, [14]

LT

SU

White tuber and irregular shape.

 22

Zansul

Present study, [14]

LT

SU

Whole tuber is white and flattened at distal end

 23

Tsid boy

Present study, [14, 15]

LT

SB

Whole tuber is dark purple

 24

Dal boy

Present study, [14]

LT

SB

Whole tuber is white

 25

Don boy^a

[14]

LT

SB

Whole tuber is pale purple

 26

Shamut

Present study, [14]

LT

SU

Irregular tuber shape.

 27

Kappar

Present study, [14]

LT

SU

White purple tuber, very firm flesh, oval tuber shape.

 28

Kalu^a

[14]

LT

SU

White purple tuber and cylindrical shape

 29

Bud boy^a

[14]

LT

SB

Whole tuber is white with purple and oval shape.

 30

Tush boy^a

[14]

LT

SB

White purple tuber, very firm flesh, oval shape

 31

Bunkri^a

[14]

LT

SU

Tuber shape is in between cylindrical and oval

 1

Ongubay, Baday

Present study, [12, 14, 15]

LT

SU

Ongubay means “foolish” while Bada means “distinct”. It is so named because its foliage differs from that of other kinds of domestic Kachi. Whole tuber is white, but if its tuber and stem edges has dark orange color, it is red (submseb)

Submseb Ongubay

Present study

SB

 2

Earkubai

Present study, [12, 14, 15]

LT

SU

Name means “of sharp taste”. Tuber and stem edges of this variety have purple pigment and irregular in shape.

 3

Zenkuru

Present study, [12, 15]

LT

SU

Name means “seeker of others”. It is so named from a lazy man who does not work but seeks to eat food that is prepared by another person

 4

Dak’oi^a

[12]

LT

SU

Whole tuber is white and irregular tuber shape.

 1

Karka-ama or Balakay-oake

Present study, [12, 14]

W

PU

Classification of a bulbifera plant as wild vs. cultivated relied on the area of growth. Ama/oake grows in garden while Karka ama/Balakay oake grows in wild area. If the bulbils of cultivated bulbifera have traces of dark color near edges, it is black (tsaa’nseb/Tiab); if not, it is white (ga’nseb/don)

 2

Ama or Oake

Present study, [12, 14]

LT

SU

Ama tsaa’nseb/Tiab oake

SB

Ama ga’nseb/Don oake