Dysphania ambrosioides, formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides, known as epazote, Jesuit's tea, Mexican tea
Description
Dysphania ambrosioides is an
annual plant or short-lived
perennial herb, growing to tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-
lanceolate leaf up to long. The
are small and green, produced in a branched
panicle at the apex of the stem.
As well as in its native areas, it is grown in warm temperate to subtropical areas of Europe and the United States (Missouri, New England, Eastern US),
Chemistry
Epazote
essential oil contains
ascaridole (up to 70%),
limonene,
p-cymene, and smaller amounts of numerous other
terpene and monoterpene derivatives (,
myrcene,
terpinene,
thymol,
camphor and trans-isocarveol).
Ascaridole (1,4-peroxido-p-menth-2-ene) is rather an uncommon constituent of spices; another plant owing much of its character to this monoterpene
peroxide is
boldo. Ascaridole is slightly toxic and has a pungent, not very pleasant flavor. In pure form,
ascaridole decomposes violently upon heating, but this is relatively weak in regards to energy release, since breaking the oxygen bond will not destroy the entire molecule.
Ascaridole content is lower in epazote from Mexico than in epazote grown in Europe or Asia.
Taxonomy
The species was described in 1753 by
Carl Linnaeus as
Chenopodium ambrosioides.
Some researchers treated it as a highly polymorphic species with several subspecies. Today these are considered as their own species within genus
Dysphania (e.g. American wormseed,
Chenopodium ambrosioides var.
anthelminticum is now accepted as
Dysphania anthelmintica).
[Steven E. Clemants & Sergei L. Mosyakin (2003): Dysphania sect. Adenois - online. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 4: Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York, , p. 269.][Steven E. Clemants & Sergei L. Mosyakin (2003): Dysphania anthelmintica - online. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 4: Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York, , p. 269.]
The generic name Dysphania was traditionally applied in the 1930s to some species endemic to Australia. Placement and rank of this taxon have ranged from a mere section within Chenopodium to the sole genus of a separate family, Dysphaniaceae, or a representative of the Illicebraceae. The close affinity of Dysphania to "glandular" species of Chenopodium sensu lato is now evident.
The specific epithet ambrosioides refers to the plant's resemblance to unrelated plants of the genus Ambrosia, in the aster family.
Etymology
The common Spanish name epazote (sometimes spelled and pronounced ipasote or ypasote) is derived from the
Nahuatl language word epazōtl ().
Toxicity
Humans have died from overdoses of
D. ambrosioides essential oils (attributed to the
ascaridole content). Symptoms include severe
gastroenteritis with pain,
vomiting, and
diarrhea.,
, headache, temporary deafness, kidney and
liver damage, convulsions, paralysis, death.
Uses
Culinary
Ideally collected before going to seed,
D. ambrosioides is used as a
leaf vegetable,
herb, and
herbal tea[ for its pungent flavor. Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal pungency, similar to oregano, anise, fennel, or even tarragon, but stronger. The fragrance of D. ambrosioides is strong and unique.][ A common analogy is to turpentine or creosote. It has also been compared to citrus, Satureja, and Mentha.
]
Although it is traditionally used with black beans for flavor and its antiflatulent properties,
In the Philippines, where it is called pasotes or pasyotes, it is a characteristic herb of Vigan pipian, a chicken porridge distinct from the namesake Mexican pipian.
Agricultural
The essential oils of D. ambrosioides contain terpene compounds, some of which have natural pesticide capabilities.[J. Jimenez-Osorio, Am. J. Bot. 78:139, 1991, cited in ]
Companion plant
Dysphania ambrosioides not only contains terpene compounds, but it also delivers partial protection to nearby plants simply by masking their scent to some insects, making it a useful companion plant. Its small flowers may also attract some predatory wasps and flies.
External links
