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Planted or semicultivated in settled areas throughout the Philippines for its fleshy and starchy roots. Introduced from Mexico in the early colonial period. Now pantropic. Kamoteng-kahoi is an erect, smooth, half-woody or shrubby plant, 1.5 to 3 meters in height, growing from stout and fleshy roots. Leaves are alternate and smooth (except for some of the upper leaves, which are entire) and dividing to the base into three to seven narrow segments, 10 to 20 centimeters long. Flowers are about 1 centimeter long. Fruit is a capsule, ovoid,1.5 centimeter long, with six, narrow longitudinal wings. Two well-known varieties: bitter and sweet. The bitter, more robust and planted for its starch, the source of tapioca. The roots containing hydrocyanic acid, considered poisonous but easily dissipated by heat.The root, harmless when fresh, becomes poisonous when stale. Thorough peeling of the tubers before cooking removes the chance of poisoning. The sweet variety is grown for use as a vegetable. Sweet cassava is not as good a starch producer as the bitter kind, but is non-poisonous, tasty and grown for use as vegetable.Tubers considered antiseptic. Roots considered appetizer, aperient, vulnerary, tonic. Bark of trunk considered anti-rheumatic. Leaves reported to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity.

Measles is an acute viral infection characterized by morbilliform eruptions with catarrhal inflammation of the conjunctiva and the air passages.