or tequexquite (from Nahuatl tequixquitl) tetl: stone, and quix-quitl: sprout, sprouting stone. Quixquitl has also been said to translate as “foaming/efflorescent” (1) (Parsons 2001) or “something that comes out by itself, that floats” (algo que sale por sí mismo, que flota). In chemistry, efflorescence (which means “to flower out” in French) is the migration of a salt to the surface of a porous material, where … Continue reading Tequesquite
Leucaena leucocephala leucocephala (“leu” meaning white from the Greek “leukos” and “cephala” – head refers to the flowers) also known as cuaje, huajes, hauxya, huaxin, guash, guashe (Chiapas), guaje beans, cacalas, cascalhuite, Leadtree, White Popinac, Wild Tamarind or River Tamarind; Uaxim (Maya), ipil ipil (Philippines), Narendhar (India), Safed babul (Hindi), White Babool, Yin He Huan (Chinese) When the Spanish arrived in southern Mexico in 1521, … Continue reading Guaje.
Acacia acatlensis Cover photo : Young shoots of yepaquilitl : courtesy of Explora Jolalpan via Facebook. Syn. Senegalia acatlensis ; Acacia pueblensis ; Mariosousa acatlensis Also called borreguitos/ borrequitos, (also árbol del borrego), yepaquilitl (skunk Quelites) or yepaquihle, huizache, guayalote, guayote (Michoacan), quebrajache, guajillo (Puebla), chindata, chondata, chivos, tiñu, tlahuitole Another plant known by the Nahuatl terminology yepaquilitl is A.acatlensis. It is known by the … Continue reading Yepaquilitl : Another Skunk Weed
Porophyllum obtusifolium (?) Pipicha/Pipitza/Chepiche (Porophyllum tagetoides) (syn P.linaria) is a narrow leaved variety of poreleaf which is popular in Oaxaca (see Post Chepiche/Pipicha Porophyllum tagetoides ). Pipitzca may or may not be this herb. There are several pore leafs that have been identified as pipitzca. P.tagetoides (1) and P.punctatum (2) have been called pipitzca (Ortíz-Sánchez etal 2015) and even the naming of the herb P.obtusifolium … Continue reading Pipitzcaquilitl
Tagetes lemmonii Also called : rudilla, Lemmons marigold, Copper Canyon Daisy, Mountain Marigold, Mexican Marigold, Passionfruit Marigold, Tree Marigold, Tangerine Marigold, Mount Lemmon Marigold, Texas tarragon T.lucida (pericón) is also known by the moniker Mexican Mint Marigold. (See Post : Pericón. Tagetes lucida) T.lemmonii is native to the states of Sonora and Sinaloa in north-western Mexico as well as southern Arizona in the Estados Unidos. … Continue reading Mexican Mint Marigold
Bifora testiculata syn Coriandrum radians (M.Bieb.) Also called : cilantro, cilantro real, carrot weed, bird’s eye, European bishop, Wild Bishop, Dubbelkoriander, Dobbeltkoriander, Getreideverpester (cereal polluter), Bumnieher, Kosbor Salvagg, חריריים מצויים, كزبرة In 1905 Joseph Rose whilst working for the US Herbarium (1) noted in the describing of Porophyllum macrocephalum (2) that it had the “odor of bifora”. This piqued my interest as it was my … Continue reading Bifora. Another Cilantro Substitute?
Amaranth seed Amaranth grain is an ancient superfood. Although botanically it is not considered a grain it, along with the pseudocereal quinoa, is botanically a seed. This is merely pedantic nit picking and in no way diminishes the high nutritional value of this plant. The plant has several culinary uses. The leaves are edible and the seeds can be eaten whole, ground, popped or can … Continue reading Nutritional Profile of Amaranth
The rabbit holds a special place in the mythological landscape of México. It plays a part in both the legend of the moon (1) and in the creation of pulque. The moon is itself represented in various codices by the image of a jar of pulque, the rabbit was used as a measuring stick of drunkenness (2) and the saying “Ye iuhqui itoch” (Such is … Continue reading Pulque Curado : Sangre de Conejo (Rabbits Blood)
It is said that pulque is “sólo le falta un grado para ser carne” (one grade shy of being meat) and that the only thing pulque lacks for being meat are bones. Well this drink, tecolio, removes that difference. This drink takes its name from red maguey worms (1), larvae of the moth Comadia redtenbacheri (2) which are added to pulque to create a uniquely … Continue reading Pulque Curado : Tecolio
(Pectis papposa) Syn. Pectis angustifolia Torr also called Fetid marigold, Pague, Limoncillo, Lemonscent, Crownseed Pectis, Lemon-scented Pectis, Lemonscent Pectis, Lemonweed, TshéGdannItc’iih (Navajo), manzanilla del coyote, ban mansani:ya, caasol heecto (small caasol), caasol ihasii quiipe (pleasant smelling caasol (Seri), ban manzani;ya I have recently come across this plant during my research into the porophyllums. I was initially drawn to the porophyllum species because of the impact … Continue reading Chinchweed : Pectis papposa
