man-of-the-earth

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The wild potato-vine, Ipomœa pandurata, so called from the great size sometimes attained by the root.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Bot.) a twining plant (Ipomœa pandurata) with leaves and flowers much like those of the morning-glory, but having an immense tuberous farinaceous root.
2. n. (Bot.) A long-rooted morning glory (Ipomoea leptophylla) of Western U. S.
3. n. A tropical American prostrate or climbing herbaceous perennial (Ipomoea panurata or Ipomoea fastigiata) having an enormous starchy root; sometimes held to be source of the sweet potato.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. tropical American prostrate or climbing herbaceous perennial having an enormous starchy root; sometimes held to be source of the sweet potato
2. n. a morning glory with long roots of western United States