Historical EthnobotanyThe Badianus Codex – “The Little

Book of Herbs”

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

Cortes first meets the Aztecs

Aztec healer shown in the Florentine Codex – ca. 1540

Ohuaxocoyolin – Native bitter herb – Probably a begonia - Used to cure Glaucoma

“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

Peyote – Lophophora williamsii

• Huichol shaman rub on cuts to prevent infection

• Found to have antibiotic properties – even against penicillin resistant Staphylococcus

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

Tolohuaxihuitl – Datura innoxia

Nexehuac – Datura ceratocaula

Jimson weed - Datura stramonium

Jimson weed seed capsule- Datura stramonium

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

Belladonna – aka Deadly nightshade –Atropa belladonna

Cacao – Theobroma cacao

Tlalcacahoatl

Aztec uses of Cacao

Woman making chocolate drink – from Codice Tudela – 16th century

Florentine Codex – god visiting Cacao eater

Theobroma cacao

Cacao leaves and seeds – Theobroma cacao

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

Food Plants

Contemporary Hunter-GatherersThe San Bushmen

Torres Straits Islands

Corn – Zea mays

Typical Corn Growth

Typical ear of corn

Variation in ear size and kernel color from

Mexican landraces of corn

Teosinte – Zea diploperennis

Ear of teosinte – Zea diploperennis

Teosinte vs. Corn Growth

Teosinte Corn

Zea mays