Piper auritum is an aromatic culinary herb in the pepper family Piperaceae, which grows and is endemic to tropical Central America. Common names include hoja santa (),[ yerba santa,][ hierba santa,][ Mexican pepperleaf,][ acuyo,][ tlanepa,][ anisillo,][ root beer plant,][ Vera Cruz pepper][
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Description
It is a perennial herbaceous plant up to in height with heart-shaped velvety leaves. The leaves can reach up to or more in size. The flowers are in simple white spikes containing myriads of tiny florets which rise above the foliage like candles.
The entire plant is said to have the fragrance of Sassafras. The complex flavor is not so easily described; it has been compared to eucalyptus,
Chemistry
The leaf oil of Piper auritum contains a relatively high concentration of hepatotoxic safrole, around 70%. A few of the other 40 constituents occurring in minor quantities were α-thujene, α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, and limonene.
Synonyms
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Artanthe sancta Miq.
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Piper diandrum C.DC.
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Piper dissimulans Trel.
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Piper heterophlebium Trel.
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Piper papantlense C.DC.
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Piper venulosum Trel.
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Piper sanctum
Distribution and habitat
It is native to the Americas, from northern South America to Mexico, and is also cultivated in California and southeast Florida.
Uses
It is often used in Mexican cuisine in tamales, fish or meat wrapped in its fragrant leaves for cooking, and as an essential ingredient in mole verde, a green sauce originally from the Oaxaca region of Mexico.
While typically used fresh, it is also used dried, although the drying process removes much of the flavor and makes the leaf too brittle to be used as a wrapper.
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