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Historical EthnobotanyThe Badianus Codex – “The Little
Book of Herbs”
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The Badianus Codex – “The Little Book of Herbs”
• Written in 1552 at College of Santa Cruz• Written in Nahuatl by Aztec physician
Martin de la Cruz• Translated into Latin by Aztec monk named
John Badianus• de la Cruz probably trained in Aztec
medical practices prior to arrival of Cortes in 1521
• de la Cruz probably did the paintings of plants
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Cortes first meets the Aztecs
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Aztec healer shown in the Florentine Codex – ca. 1540
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Ohuaxocoyolin – Native bitter herb – Probably a begonia - Used to cure Glaucoma
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“The Little Book of Herbs”
• Detailed descriptions of used of 251 plant species• Also uses of bird, animal blood and body parts• Use of various earths• Bezoar stones (hard secretions from guts of
animals – mainly ruminants)• Other nonherbal substances• Many plants used were psychoactive and used in
religious rituals and for divination but also had medicinal uses
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Peyote – Lophophora williamsii
• Huichol shaman rub on cuts to prevent infection
• Found to have antibiotic properties – even against penicillin resistant Staphylococcus
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Aztec physicians used many species of Datura
• Almost all species of Datura produce the narcotic stramonium
• Stramonium is made up of:• Atropine – effects heart rate• Scopolamine – large doses cause
disorientation, delirium, foaming at the mouth, great thirst, visions, dreamless sleep followed by amnesia
• Hyoscyamine – reduces muscle spasms, sweating
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Tolohuaxihuitl – Datura innoxia
Nexehuac – Datura ceratocaula
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Jimson weed - Datura stramonium
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Jimson weed seed capsule- Datura stramonium
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Aztec cautions about Datura
• “It harms one, takes away one’s appetite, maddens one, makes one besotted. He who eats it will no longer desire food until he shall die. And if he eats it moderately, he will forever be disturbed, maddened; he will always be possessed, no longer tranquil.” - from the Florentine Codex by Fray Bernadino de Sahagun, ca. 1540
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Belladonna – aka Deadly nightshade –Atropa belladonna
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Cacao – Theobroma cacao
Tlalcacahoatl
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Aztec uses of Cacao
Woman making chocolate drink – from Codice Tudela – 16th century
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Florentine Codex – god visiting Cacao eater
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Theobroma cacao
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Cacao leaves and seeds – Theobroma cacao
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Aztecs recognized at least four varieties of Cacao
• Cacahoaquiahuit – largest, bore the largest fruits, most seeds.
• Mecacahoatl – medium height, fruits second largest in size.
• Xochicacahoatl – smaller in height and with smaller fruits with red seeds.
• Tlalcacahoatl – smallest of them all and with the smallest fruits. It was thought to make the best drink. The other varieties were prized for seeds for currency
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Food Plants
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Contemporary Hunter-GatherersThe San Bushmen
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Torres Straits Islands
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Corn – Zea mays
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Typical Corn Growth
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Typical ear of corn
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Variation in ear size and kernel color from
Mexican landraces of corn
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Teosinte – Zea diploperennis
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Ear of teosinte – Zea diploperennis
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Teosinte vs. Corn Growth
Teosinte Corn
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Zea mays