The chamal (Dioon edule Lindl.) in the state of San Luis Potosí

Dr. Laura Yáñez Espinosa, Javier Fortanelli Martínez &
Erika García Chávez

UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE SAN LUIS POTOSÍ
Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas

San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Background

• Widely distributed in Huasteca zone, San Luis Potosi, Mexico; habitat has deteriorated and pops. reduced from crops and cattle breeding

• Seeds and young leaves kill cattle, but for indigenous xi’oi people, chamal harvest has major role in diet as substitute for maize

• Xi’oi people commonly eat boiled/ground seeds, even though “fatal consequences” when not well cooked are known

• Multidisciplinary research approach

Proposal Objectives

• Study localities; characterize habitat; conduct population structure analysis

• Ethnobotanical exploration with male key informants and interviews with housewives

• Study neurotoxic effects in experimental tests with rats in the laboratory

Click here for full proposal

Reports

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based on this research

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