Mexican hedyosmum
Hedyosmum mexicanum

Family: Chloranthaceae

What it is like

A tree. The leaves are opposite and have closely spaced teeth. The sheath at the base of the leaf has many small filaments. The flowers are in a cone like arrangement with between 100 and 350 flowers. They are green. The fruit are white or yellow and succulent and edible.

There are 40-50 Hedyosmum species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. They grow in wet places in cool mountain regions. It grows above 2,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Belize, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America

How it is used for food

The fruit are succulent, sweet and edible. Two or three leaves in hot water make a tea drink.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Macetero, Mazorco, Ocze, Onj, Palo de agua, Planatillo, Sandio, Sauquillo, Taba de ojolote, Te azteco, Te de monte, Te maya, Vara blanco

Synonyms

Hedyosmum artocarpus Solms; Hedyosmum glaucum (Ruiz & Pav.) Solms non (Ruiz & Pav.) C. Cordem; Tafallaea artocarpus (Solms) Kuntze; Tafallaea mexicana (Cordem.) Kuntze;