Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

hutihuti, utiuti; konu (Northland - Yen 1963) 

Kūmara cultivar considered to be of pre-European origin.

Ticotea type (under classification used by H. C. Thompson 1922 and 1957).

Yen 512. Sent to Japan by Dr. Yen in 1966 for safe keeping. Returned 19 November 1988

This information is taken from Yen 1963: 35-37.

Roots are cream, fairly smooth, small, usually long and thin, up to 20 roots per plant. Flesh cream, only slightly sweet, dry and mealy. Said to be used for kao. Susceptible to fungal disease `scurf" but storage excellent. Often propagated by direct planting of roots (roots small, brittle nature of sprouts making plants difficult to handle).

Yen sourced cultivars from East Coast, Bay of Plenty, Northland. Says not as common as Rekamaroa.

A mutant of this cultivar observed at Otahuhu (where collections grown) showed a leaf variation. Leaves and roots of hutihuti are illustrated by drawings.

In Berridge 1913, it is listed (Uti-uti) among varieties grown from tuber by "an old Māori" informant. It is described by Berridge as a "long, white or pale straw-coloured variety, very popular with the Māoris, as it is easily grown. Tubers compact in the hill; does not make so much vine as some others" (p 418)

Listed by Best 1925

See also information by Tapsell