Tuber, << TOO buhr, >> is a thick, enlarged portion of a stem that usually grows underground. Potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, and yams are examples of tubers. Tubers bear small scalelike leaves and tiny buds called eyes. A tuber can grow into a new plant by a process called vegetative propagation. When separated from the parent plant, the eyes may sprout new shoots, obtaining food from the tuber until new leaves and roots form. See also Jerusalem artichoke ; Plant (The reproduction of plants) ; Potato ; Yam .
