Ethnobotanical Talks at Botanical Garden: Focus on Chilhuacle Peppers

What is the primary focus of the new series introduced at the Botanical Garden?

Which of the following is NOT a type of plant part represented in the collection at the Botanical Garden?

What distinguishes the chilhuacle pepper from other chili peppers in terms of its color, flavor, and form?

What major challenge is faced in the production of chilhuacle peppers?

How are chilhuacle peppers preserved for drying to maintain their shape and texture?

In which Mexican region is chilhuacle primarily cultivated?

What are some traditional dishes that use chilhuacle peppers?

What is a key characteristic of the chilhuacle varieties (yellow, red, black)?

What contributes to the genetic erosion in chilhuacle production?

What makes Capsicum annuum different from other chili peppers mentioned?

Introduction of a new series at the Botanical Garden of the Institute of Biology focusing on traditional Mexican knowledge and flavors through ethnobotanical talks.
The collection at the Botanical Garden includes parts of plants representing different uses like ornamental, edible, medicinal, and artisanal.
Collection includes samples preserved in 70% alcohol, medicinal plant bunches, seeds, and unique plant parts like thevetia used by concheros during ceremonies.
Comprehensive representation of dried chili peppers, including Capsicum annuum, with precise ethnobotanical information and species identification.
Focus on the rare and expensive chile chilhuacle from Oaxaca, part of the Capsicum annuum species, known for its unique colors, flavors, and forms.
Cultivated in Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, chilhuacle is used in traditional dishes like mole negro, mole rojo, and mole amarillo, with prices ranging from 1000 to 1200 pesos per kilo.
Challenges in chilhuacle production include high demand, plant diseases like tobacco virus, lack of interest from younger generations in farming, and genetic erosion.
Chilhuacle varieties (yellow, red, black) are distinct types and are dried under the sun on stone beds, maintaining their shape and texture.
Chilhuacle peppers are used in various dishes like tlatlaquepaque when fresh and in mole negro when dried, which requires a complex preparation process with over 30 ingredients.
Importance of preserving ethnobotanical collections for documenting indigenous knowledge, supporting research, and conserving biodiversity for future generations.

Explore the traditional Mexican knowledge and flavors through a new series of ethnobotanical talks at the Botanical Garden of the Institute of Biology. Learn about the comprehensive collection that includes various plant parts for ornamental, edible, medicinal, and artisanal purposes, with a special focus on the rare and expensive chile chilhuacle. Discover the challenges in chilhuacle production, its distinct varieties, and the importance of preserving ethnobotanical collections for future generations.