Sacred Animals and Exotic Tropical by Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth web sites for species Chili peppers are part of the nightshade www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pipe_aur.html family (Solanaceae), which produces the www.rain-tree.com/matico.htm edible tomato, potato, plus the several www.tlahui.com/medic/medic29/hoja_santa.htm addictive tobacco species, and the rather www.maya-ethnobotany.org. dangerous nightshade plants. You can web sites for chili peppers: find diverse varieties of chili peppers in www.g6csy.net/chile/var-p.html the markets of La Antigua and most cities Chile Cobanero, Red Chili Peppers Chile Verde, Green Chili Peppers around Guatemala. Ask for, and enjoy Interestingly, most of the Piper species eating, chili . are commonly used as native medicines Although I have been drinking tea from throughout . Plus, whether pimienta gorda since I was young, I did Piper is carcinogenic to humans is evidently not know about Piper auritum, (Spanish debated. name, Hoja santa) until a Universidad del So, although Christopher Columbus did Valle biology student, Daniela da’Costa, not find a direct route to India for the first explained it to me. Actually it turns out we few years, since their voyages were funded to have one growing in our interior patio in the find a route for from India, they Piper auritum cordoncillo, high safrol content Pimenta dioica, FLAAR office garden (as was identified by cleverly came back with at least “pepper.” So Priscila Sandoval, biologist graduating from now you know why chili is called pepper. USAC). Piper auritum was once a source of Now you know why Piper auritum is called flavoring for . But the leaves pepper. We can’t blame the word “allspice” PEPPER(S) on Christopher Columbus, but as long as we of P. auritum have high contents in safrol, Piper species — “Pepper” (as in “ & pepper”) and Chili “Peppers” the active compound that is carcinogenic. are discussing “pimienta” I thought I would include it as a comment: the scientific name ur salt-and-pepper pepper is unrelated plants in Guatemala and Mexico. is Pimenta dioica. Piper nigrum, which originated The Classic Maya 1,000 years ago, and in India. There are actually three the modern Maya descendants today, still Ocompletely different kinds of native plants in use : for food and for the deities. Guatemala named “pepper” (or pimienta): As well, allspice, (also referred to as pepper leaf (flavoring from leaf, seed or pimienta gorda, pimenta dioica) is native to flower stick), pepper vegetables and pepper Mesoamerica; you will see it everywhere at (flavoring from seed or tea from leaf). Tikal or around Lake Yaxhá and in most

Of course the Classic Maya never used mature forests in Alta Verapaz, Petén and Allspice, pimienta gorda the word “pepper” or “pimiento,” the Izabal. Allspice is one single spice; it is not original Maya had their own nomenclature. a mixture of diverse plants. It was named Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth is director of FLAAR Reports (Foundation for Latin American An- It is the misunderstanding and confusion of allspice because its flavor brings to mind thropological Research). For a bibliography the conquering Spanish (and one botanist) many different separate spices. The most from this article and other information, you may contact Dr. Hellmuth and his staff by who dumped the name “pimienta” (from common use in rural areas is to make tea email: [email protected] the black pepper of India) on all three totally from the leaves.

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