Sidetrack : Chichihuachi
Chichihuachi is a herb introduced to me by a denizen of the town of Tetipac lodged in the mountains of Guerrero between Ixtapan de la Sal and Taxco. This herb was explained to be a variety of papalo (Porophyllum macrocephalum) and that it had a very short season of growth and use. No Latin name was offered up for it and my searches have yet … Continue reading Sidetrack : Chichihuachi
Sidetrack : Flor de Izote
The writing system used by the Aztec at the time the Spanish arrived was not the same as the one we use today, the one I’m using now. Instead of using an alphabetic, syllabic text they essentially drew comic books. I do not mean to disparage them in any way by saying this and, when we eventually get to my exploration of botanical terminology and … Continue reading Sidetrack : Flor de Izote
Flor de Izote
Flor de izote is the name for the edible flowers of the Yucca plant. Also called : Flor de Itabo, Lamaparas de Dios, Daguillo, Yucca flower, Cuaresmeña, Chocha, Palm flower, Pito flower, and Guayas. Izote derives from the Nahuatl word izotl (iczotl) which is the name for a species of yuca (Yuca aloifolia) According to the Nahuatl dictionary….. iczotl. Principal English Translation: a type of … Continue reading Flor de Izote
Tenochtitlan. The City on the Lake
This city would have possessed a beauty like no other. I am not at all surprised that some conquistadors felt as though they were experiencing a fantastical dream. When Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519, he was awestruck. In letters to the Spanish king, he compared Tenochtitlan favorably to Venice and declared it more beautiful than any city in Spain. His soldiers wandered the markets and … Continue reading Tenochtitlan. The City on the Lake
Mis Mascaras : Máscara Guatemalteco
I have a small (but growing) collection of masks and I am ever on the lookout for new additions, particularly from Mexico. I find it fascinating thinking of the journey the mask made to end up in Australia and into my hands. For some reason (maybe clumsiness?) I prefer wooden masks over the clay/ceramic ones. I like the feel of wood, the story it tells … Continue reading Mis Mascaras : Máscara Guatemalteco
Trans-Pecos Poreleaf
Quelite : Porophyllum scoparium delves into this herb from a Mexican point of view (1). Here we look at it from the other side of the Rio Bravo (the Rio Grande if you’re standing on its northern banks). Also called : West Texas poreleaf, The plant of the week is Trans-Pecos Poreleaf (Porophyllum scoparium), one of the many members of Asteraceae. It grows in sandy … Continue reading Trans-Pecos Poreleaf
Papalo Adjacent. The Bajacalias.
Bajacalia Bajacalia is a genus of three species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae (1), native primarily to the Baja California peninsula in northwestern Mexico. The genus name derives from “Baja California,” reflecting the restricted range of its species in that region.(Loockerman et al 2003) Geographic distribution of Bajacalia : Gulf coast of Baja California Sur, Isla Ángel de la Guarda, and three … Continue reading Papalo Adjacent. The Bajacalias.
Porophyllum maritimum
Porophyllum maritimum. Heterotypic Synonyms (1) : Porophyllum porfyreum (Rose & Standl 1916) Porophyllum porfyreum Not a great specimen to be honest. (well it was collected in 1911) Also called : Odoro (1), Hierba del venado, Seaside purslane Also known as the Seaside Poreleaf (1), it belongs to the poreleaf genus, which includes, among others, the aromatic, culinary, and medicinal P. ruderale. Porophyllum linifolim Porophyllum maritimum … Continue reading Porophyllum maritimum
Papalo and its Southern Cousins
Even though I consider Papalo (1) to be a quintessentially Mexican herb I feel I must note that the Mother of this Family (2) originates from lands further south than the Basin of Mexico and is even commonly known as “Bolivian coriander”. I have briefly written on Papalo in Peru, a land sharing a border with Bolivia, (3) which I would like to expand upon … Continue reading Papalo and its Southern Cousins
Masa Americana 