Natural history · Medicinal plants

Medicinal plants
of La Saladita.

The plants people on this coast have long used for stomach trouble, cuts and stings, coughs, fever and more, sorted like a pharmacy by what they are for. Each one has photos and field marks so you can tell it apart, a label for what science has tested, and any warnings.

La Saladita · Guerrero, México

Mexico has one of the richest traditions of plant medicine in the world, and many of the plants it relies on grow around La Saladita. This page lists the ones recorded within about 25 km of the village that have a documented medicinal use, grouped by what they are used for.

Every use here comes from a published source, most often the UNAM Atlas de las Plantas de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana and studies from Guerrero and Michoacán. Each card also says what science has found: Traditional use means the use is documented but has not been tested. Lab or animal studies means some activity has been shown outside people. Tested in people means at least one controlled human trial. Tested: no benefit or harmful means trials found no benefit, or the plant's own compounds are the harm.

Under each use, a tag shows how it is used (drunk, on the skin, as a bath, as a ritual) along with the part of the plant and the preparation the source describes. Amounts and how often are left out on purpose: the sources rarely give them, and for several of these plants the line between remedy and poison is narrow.

Photo index · 205 plants

Find a plant by sight

Tap a photo to jump to its card.

Agave infiernilloensisMaguey de InfiernilloAnglestem Indian MallowPelotazoBlood sugarAristolochia tentaculataBejuco guaco⚠ SeriousArrowrootSagúWomen's health, KidneyAsian SpiderflowerCola de rataPain, SkinAsthma PlantGolondrinaStings, StomachAvocadoAguacateStomach, Women's healthBe-still treeVenenillo⚠ DeadlyBeach Morning GloryRiñoninaKidney, PainBeach naupakaScaevola taccadaMouth, StomachBejuco blancoWomen's health, CoughBellyache BushPiñón negro⚠ SeriousBig caltropAbrojoSkinBitter MelonCundeamorSkin, FeverBlack MangroveMangle negroStomach, SkinBlue PeaAzulejoNerves, FeverBotoncilloBotoncillo (Casearia)StomachBougainvilleaBugambiliaCoughBrasiletto / Mexican LogwoodPalo de brasilHeart, NervesBread and cheeseBejuco de costillaBreadnutRamónCough, Women's healthBromelia karatasPiñuelaBlood sugarBrowne's blechumAnilillo negroSkin, StomachBullhorn acaciaCornezueloStomach, Mouth
Show all (205)
Bush Morning GloryAmapola rosaButtercup TreeRosa amarillaStomach, Women's healthButtonwoodMangle botoncilloPainByttneria aculeataZarzaHeart, SkinCalabash TreeGüiroCoughCallingcard vineBejuco prietoSkin, MouthCandelabra BushHoja de barajaSkinCascabela ovataYoyote⚠ DeadlyCascaloteSkin, StomachCashewMarañón⚠ SeriousCastor beanHiguerilla⚠ DeadlyCat's ClawToritoStings, SkinCatstongueMozoteWomen's healthCazahuate / Morning Glory TreeCazahuateKidneyChalchupaCinco negritos⚠ DeadlyCochineal Nopal CactusNopal (O. cochenillifera)Fever, StomachCoconut PalmCocoStomach, Women's healthCocoplumIcacoStomachCoffee SennaFrijolillo (Senna)⚠ DeadlyCombretum farinosumChupamielCough, KidneyCommon guavaGuayabaStomach, SkinCommon lantanaGobernadoraStomach, CoughCommon PurslaneVerdolagaStomach, Blood sugarCommon ReedCarrizo (Phragmites)Blood sugar, KidneyCommon wild petuniaMaravilla de monteStomach, Traditional healingCoral VineSan MiguelitoCough, FeverCoralbushPlanta de coral⚠ SeriousCoralilloWomen's health, StomachCordia elaeagnoidesCueramoStomach, CoughCoyotomateStings, StomachCrateva tapiaPerihueteMouth, PainCrested anodaVioletaStomach, MouthCuachalalateStomach, SkinCuajiloteKidney, CoughCuajioteCoughCubata / Boat-spine AcaciaCubataKidney, StomachCudjoewoodSic-quete (Guerrero)Mouth, StomachCycad (Zamia)Cícada⚠ DeadlyCypress VineCambusteraPain, StingsDesert thorn-appleToloache⚠ DeadlyDotleaf WaterlilyFlor de aguaTraditional healingDurban CrowfootPata de polloEgyptian woodroseTrompilloSkinErect spiderlingHierba blancaSkin, NervesFalse DaisyEclipta prostrataStomach, SkinFence Post TreeCacahuanancheSkin, FeverFirebushBalletillaSkinFlamboyant / Royal PoincianaFlamboyánPain, CoughFrangipani / PlumeriaCacaloxóchitlPain, SkinGiant milkweedAlgodoncillo gigante⚠ SeriousGiant reedCarrizo (Arundo)Mouth, StingsGold MedallionAcahual amarilloSkin, PainGolden Leather FernHelecho de manglarSkinGolden TrumpetCopa de oroGomphrena WeedAmor secoStomach, Women's healthGronovia scandensChichicasteGuanacaste / Earpod TreeGuanacasteCough, SkinGuinea Hen WeedHierba del zorrilloPain, StomachGumbo LimboPalo mulatoFever, KidneyHaba⚠ DeadlyHairbrush CactusCardónStomach, KidneyHairy indigoAñil vellosoStomach, PainHibiscusTulipánCough, Traditional healingIndian HeliotropeCola de alacrán (H. indicum)⚠ DeadlyJacaratia mexicanaBoneteMouth, StomachJamaican CherryCapulínSkin, StomachJapanese morning gloryAmolStomach, KidneyJicamaJícamaWomen's health, KidneyJicaro TreeCiriánCough, PainKapokCeibaPain, SkinLicorice WeedCulantrilloStomachLime CopalLinaloePain, SkinLipsticktreeAchioteFever, SkinLittle ironweedCyanthillium cinereumFeverLittlebellCampanillaPainLow rattleboxChepilStomach, SkinMacaw palmCoyolStomach, Blood sugarMadagascar PeriwinkleVicariaSkinMadras ThornGuamúchilStomach, SkinMamoaNervesManchineelÁrbol de la muerte⚠ DeadlyMangoCoughMarvel of PeruMaravillaPain, NervesMexican MarigoldCempasúchilStomach, CoughMexican PlumCiruelaSkin, KidneyMexican Primrose-willowClavoseSkin, KidneyMonarch climbing fernCulebrinaStings, StomachMonkey pod treeCeniceroStomach, CoughMoonflowerAmoleStomach, StingsMoringa treeMoringaStomach, CoughMoses-in-the-cradleMaguey moradoSkin, CoughNanceNancheStomach, SkinNanchi de perroStomach, CoughNeemSkin, FeverNoniCough, FeverOneleaf SennaCacahuatilloSkinPacific Coast MahoganyCaobaStomach, Women's healthPainted spurgeLecheroSkin, MouthPanama Rubber TreeHuleSkin, PainPapayaStomach, CoughParadise TreeAceitunoStomach, FeverPata de galloTraditional healingPeacock flowerTabachínCough, StomachPetiolate FigSaiba amarillaStomach, SkinPhilippine spinachEspinaca de FilipinasBlood sugar, FeverPigeonberryBajatripaTraditional healing, Women's healthPink Trumpet TreeRobleFever, StomachPlantainPlátanoStomach, StingsPochote / Dry-forest CeibaPochoteStomach, SkinPond AppleAnona silvestreStomach, Blood sugarPossum grapeBejuco de sanalotodoSkin, PainPrickly PearNopal (O. ficus-indica)Blood sugar, StomachProvision treeZapote de aguaSkin, StomachPurple HeartCohitre moradoPurple scalystemAnisilloStomach, KidneyPyramid FlowerEscobilla (Melochia)StomachQuassiaCuasiaStomach, FeverQuerenderenicuaStomach, CoughRed GingerJengibre rojoCoughRed MangroveMangle rojoStomach, MouthRiver sageHierba del cáncerSkin, PainRoadside leafbractMano de muertoSkin, FeverRosary BabybonnetsSamotaStomach, CoughRosary snoutbeanOjo de pajarito⚠ DeadlyRubber VineBejuco de caucho⚠ DeadlySabinoStomach, KidneySalpianthus arenariusHoja de lagartoBlood sugarSandpaper treeHojamánStomach, KidneySangre de toroSkinSanta Maria feverfewEscobilla (Parthenium)⚠ SeriousSapodillaChicozapoteStomachScarlet CordiaSiricoteCough, StomachScarlet creeperFrijolillo (Ipomoea)Pain, CoughScarlet spiderlingHierba de la hormigaStomachScorpion's-tailCola de alacrán (H. angiospermum)⚠ DeadlySea Almond / Tropical AlmondAlmendroStomach, MouthSea GrapeUveroStomach, FeverSea Hibiscus / Coastal CottonwoodMajaguaStomach, FeverSensitive PlantDormilonaNerves, Women's healthSentroGallitosWomen's health, SkinShaving Brush TreeAmapolaCough, PainSiam weedCruz dulce grandeWomen's health, KidneySimpleleaf chastetreeVitex trifoliaPain, SkinSleepy MorningTapacolaStomach, SkinSmooth AgaveMaguey de pitaSouthern CattailTulePain, SkinSouthern Swamp CrinumLirio de pantanoSpanish CedarCedroTraditional healing, CoughSpanish MossHenoStomach, Blood sugarSpiny Spider-flowerPlanta arañaCough, FeverSponge cucumberCalabaza estropajoCough, Women's healthSponge GourdEstropajoStomach, SkinSpurred CatasetumCola de patoStingsStinking PassionflowerPepeWomen's healthStinkingtoeGuapinolCough, StomachSugar Apple / Custard AppleAnonaStomachSutubCough, NervesSweet acaciaHuizacheStomach, MouthSweet potatoCamoteSkin, Blood sugarTamarindTamarindoFever, Blood sugarTepehuajeMautoSkinThree-lobe false mallowMalvónStings, CoughTrailing DaisyBotoncillo (Sphagneticola)Cough, Women's healthTridax DaisyHierba del toroWomen's health, PainTropical blazingstarPega pegaWomen's health, StomachTropical milkweedQuiebra muelas⚠ SeriousTropical speedwellPico de pájaroKidney, FeverTurk's capManzanitaCough, StomachTwoleaf nightshadeAmatilloNerves, StomachUpland CottonAlgodónCough, Women's healthWater LettuceLechuguilla de aguaWest Indian ElmGuázimaStomach, KidneyWhite CopalCopal blancoPain, StomachWhite leadtreeGuajeStomach, StingsWhite MangroveMangle blancoStomach, MouthWhite manjackUvitoStomachWhitemouth dayflowerHierba del polloStomach, MouthWide SpikenardChanStomach, SkinWild FigAmate⚠ DeadlyYellow alderMarilopeStomach, CoughYellow merremiaAguinaldo amarilloSkin, Kidney
Know these first

Plants that hurt

These grow here and can cause serious harm, some on contact. Several are also used in traditional medicine, which is exactly why they need care.

DeadlyBe-still treeCascabela thevetiaExtremely poisonous.DeadlyCascabela ovataCascabela ovataPoisonous.DeadlyCastor beanRicinus communisSeeds are deadly.DeadlyChalchupaRauvolfia tetraphyllaPoisoning symptoms are severe: bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, cold hands and feet, and death in extreme cases.DeadlyCoffee SennaSenna occidentalisThe seeds are deadly to children.DeadlyCycad (Zamia)Zamia paucijugaAll cycads of the genus Zamia are poisonous, especially the seeds; the toxins (cycasin, BMAA) cause vomiting, bloody diarrhea, liver failure and…DeadlyDesert thorn-appleDatura discolorDeadly poisonous.DeadlyHabaHura polyandraVery toxic.DeadlyIndian HeliotropeHeliotropium indicumContains pyrrolizidine alkaloids: these cause liver damage; chronic exposure can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and death.DeadlyManchineelHippomane mancinellaEvery part of the tree (bark, leaves, twigs, fruit) releases a caustic milky sap.DeadlyRosary snoutbeanRhynchosia precatoriaLook-alike danger: its red-and-black seeds resemble the truly poisonous seeds of rosary pea (Abrus precatorius).DeadlyRubber VineCryptostegia grandifloraContains cardiac glycosides: a person who took a leaf extract developed digitalis-type poisoning with complete heart block.DeadlyScorpion's-tailHeliotropium angiospermumHas killed children: in Barbados, children given high doses of the decoction were poisoned and died.DeadlyWild FigFicus insipidaThe raw latex is dangerous to swallow.SeriousAristolochia tentaculataAristolochia tentaculataAristolochia species contain aristolochic acid; in Asia its use has caused urinary-tract cancers, kidney disease and liver disease.SeriousBellyache BushJatropha gossypiifoliaSeeds and latex are toxic.SeriousCashewAnacardium occidentaleThe raw nut shell oil (cardol) is caustic and blisters the skin; if it touches the mouth it can poison.SeriousCoralbushJatropha multifidaFruits and seeds are poisonous; children are drawn to their shape and color.SeriousGiant milkweedCalotropis proceraMilky latex in the eye causes painless clouding of the cornea and blurred vision; reported in 29 eyes after accidental contact while picking flowers…SeriousSanta Maria feverfewParthenium hysterophorusCommon cause of plant contact dermatitis: in patch tests, 24 of 90 people with plant dermatitis reacted to it.SeriousTropical milkweedAsclepias curassavicaPoisonous.
Full cards with photos, field marks and look-alikes
Be-still tree (Cascabela thevetia)Be-still tree (Cascabela thevetia)Be-still tree (Cascabela thevetia)
Photo: joewhittaker · CC-BY-NC; joewhittaker · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Be-still tree

Cascabela thevetia · venenillo, trompetita, maravilla, codo de fraile, calavera, solimán
DeadlySkin and wounds
Extremely poisonous. One or two seeds have killed children. Symptoms: burning mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, slow irregular heartbeat, convulsions, heart failure.
All parts are poisonous; sap can cause skin reactions and smoke from burning the plant can be toxic.
Traditional uses (1)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Pimples, boils, blackheads, chronic sores (latex)
    Latex/sap
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree, evergreen
  • Narrow, willow-like glossy leaves 15-18 cm with a clear midrib
  • Fragrant yellow or apricot funnel-shaped flowers about 7-8 cm long
  • Green fruits that turn black, each with 1-2 nut-like seeds
  • Milky sap
Don't confuse with: Cascabela ovata. C. ovata has spatula-shaped leaves densely hairy beneath; equally poisonous.
Don't confuse with: Golden Trumpet Allamanda cathartica. Golden trumpet is a sprawling vine with leaves in whorls of four and spiny seed pods; also toxic but much less so.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=136
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=27
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Seed oil was antibiotic in the lab; latex and flower extracts were not.

The active cardiac compounds are the harm: human poisonings and deaths are documented.

Sources (6)
Cascabela ovata (Cascabela ovata)Cascabela ovata (Cascabela ovata)Cascabela ovata (Cascabela ovata)
Photo: antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cascabela ovata

Cascabela ovata · yoyote, ayoyote, cascabel de árbol, huevo de gato, solimán, venenillo
DeadlyMouth, teeth and eyesSkin and wounds
Poisonous. Seed extract killed mice; seeds contain a cardiac glycoside (cardenolide). Its close relative, yellow oleander, has killed children with one or two seeds.
Traditional uses (2)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Toothache: latex or ground seed put in the decayed tooth (the seeds are poisonous; a close relative has killed children with one or two seeds)
    Mouth rinseLatex/sap, Seed · Sap or latex applied
  • Wounds (latex) and hemorrhoids (sitz baths)
    On the skinLatex/sap, Leaf, Bark · Sap or latex applied or Bath
How to recognize it
  • Small tree 2-5 m
  • Spatula-shaped leaves, glossy above and very hairy beneath
  • Yellow trumpet flowers
  • Almost conical fruits with greenish seeds
Don't confuse with: Be-still tree Cascabela thevetia. Yellow oleander has narrow, willow-like glossy leaves without dense hairs beneath; both are deadly.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=31
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=20
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Very little pharmacological study; no support for the uses found.

Sources (4)
Castor bean (Ricinus communis)Castor bean (Ricinus communis)Castor bean (Ricinus communis)
Photo: cindygignac · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Castor bean

Ricinus communis · higuerilla, higuereta, ricino, palma cristi, higuera del diablo, xepowiwtl (Nahuatl, Guerrero)
DeadlyFever and infectionPain and inflammationWomen's healthStomach and digestionStings and bitesCough, colds and breathing
Seeds are deadly. Toxic symptoms start from about ten seeds in adults and from one seed in children: vomiting, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, collapse and death in extreme cases.
Never use any part internally. Oil pressed with heat carries ricin; never make or take home-pressed oil.
Children are the usual victims because the mottled seeds look attractive; some adults mistake them for nuts.
Seeds and oil can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
Castor oil can bring on labor; never use it in pregnancy without a doctor or midwife.
Traditional uses (6)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Leaves used to bring down fever: a leaf decoction as a bath, or fresh leaves laid on the stomach and feet
    BathLeaf · Decoction or Bath or Applied
  • Fresh leaves, warmed, placed on the stomach for cramps, colic and inflammation pain; with vinegar as a poultice on the head for headache
    On the skinLeaf · Applied or Poultice
  • Fresh leaves placed on the belly against labor pains; leaves with hot embers to warm a woman after childbirth
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
  • Seed oil used as a purgative and against intestinal worms (the seeds are deadly, and oil pressed with heat carries ricin)
    DrunkSeed, Seed oil · Taken by mouth or Oil
  • Seed oil applied to skin swellings, pimples and insect bites; leaves fried with chile, garlic and mustard applied to sores and wounds
    On the skinSeed oil, Leaf · Oil or Applied
  • Fresh leaves smeared with oil or lard used for cough
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1-5 m with hollow green or reddish stems
  • Star-shaped leaves split into 5-8 (up to 11) toothed lobes, with reddish veins, on long stalks
  • Flowers in upright clusters at stem tips; female flowers on top with bright red feathery stigmas
  • Fruit a capsule about golf-ball size covered in soft spines, green, pink or red, turning brown
  • Seeds shiny and intricately mottled; sap is watery, not milky
Don't confuse with: Coralbush Jatropha multifida. Coral plant also has round, deeply divided leaves, but its sap is milky, its small flowers are coral-red in flat-topped clusters, and its fruit is a smooth yellow three-angled capsule without spines. Castor bean has watery sap and spiny capsules. Both are poisonous.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=225
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=478
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf and stem extracts were antibacterial in the lab; no human trial found for these uses.

In an 81-woman randomized trial against sunflower oil, castor oil helped women who had given birth before enter labor sooner, with no effect in first-time mothers and no difference in complications; this is not one of the Atlas uses (Atlas lists external leaf use for labor pain).

The seed contains ricin; the Atlas says internal use of any part, especially the seed, should be avoided.

Sources (5)
Chalchupa (Rauvolfia tetraphylla)Chalchupa (Rauvolfia tetraphylla)Chalchupa (Rauvolfia tetraphylla)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; pedrocervantes · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Chalchupa

Rauvolfia tetraphylla · cinco negritos, sarna de perro, veneno del perro, hierba de San Pablo, paulillo, chak muk, kabal muk (Maya, Yucatán)
DeadlyPain and inflammationSkin and woundsTraditional healing
Poisoning symptoms are severe: bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, cold hands and feet, and death in extreme cases.
Traditional uses (4)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Rheumatism: warm leaves tied as patches on the knees
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
  • Warts and wounds (root decoction, leaf infusion); scabies baths
    On the skinRoot, Leaf · Decoction or Infusion or Bath
  • Wounds, stomach inflammation, sores, high blood pressure
  • Pasmo and 'cabeza abierta'
How to recognize it
  • Shrub to about 2.5 m with finely hairy branches
  • Leaves longer than wide, 5-18 cm
  • Small greenish-white to yellowish flowers
  • Small fruits with 1-2 seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=27
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=99
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Anticonvulsant and antitumor effects were shown in mice, but the Atlas says these do not match the uses.

Sources (5)
Coffee Senna (Senna occidentalis)Coffee Senna (Senna occidentalis)Coffee Senna (Senna occidentalis)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coffee Senna

Senna occidentalis · frijolillo, candelilla chica, cafecillo, cornezuelo, mano de muerto, hediondilla
DeadlyFever and infectionPain and inflammationCough, colds and breathingStomach and digestionBlood sugar
The seeds are deadly to children. Children who ate the seeds developed liver damage (hepatomyoencephalopathy, affecting liver, muscle and brain). Never use the seeds, and keep children away from the pods.
Seeds are cardiotoxic in animals; eating the seed endosperm killed rabbits, with heart muscle damage at necropsy.
Traditional uses (5)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Fever (its main use): leaf infusion, head washing or baths
    DrunkLeaf, Whole plant · Infusion or Wash or Bath
  • Headache: head washed with crushed leaves in water
    WashLeaf · Wash
  • Asthma and cough: syrup of boiled seeds (the seeds are deadly to children; never use them)
    Seed · Syrup
  • Children's diarrhea
    Bark · Decoction
  • Diabetes
    Leaf · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Erect plant 1 m or less
  • Feather-like leaves
  • Yellow flowers in few-flowered clusters
  • Long flattened pods with many brown seeds
Don't confuse with: Candelabra Bush Senna alata. Hoja de baraja is a larger shrub (1-2 m) with 6-12 pairs of leaflets and big, abundant yellow flower clusters.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=41
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=29
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf reduced paw swelling in rats and extracts lowered blood pressure in dogs; no test of the fever use found.

Sources (11)
Cycad (Zamia) (Zamia paucijuga)Cycad (Zamia) (Zamia paucijuga)Cycad (Zamia) (Zamia paucijuga)
Photo: antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cycad (Zamia)

Zamia paucijuga · cícada
Deadly
All cycads of the genus Zamia are poisonous, especially the seeds; the toxins (cycasin, BMAA) cause vomiting, bloody diarrhea, liver failure and death, and 1-2 seeds can be fatal to a pet. Keep children and dogs away from the orange seeds.
Extension guidance for a related Zamia (Z. integrifolia) lists it as poisonous to humans, with seeds, sap and stems as the poisonous parts and liver failure and death among the symptoms.
How to recognize it
  • Low cycad with an underground stem; produces only 2-3 leaves per year
  • Leaves up to 1 m long, green with reddish hairs, the leaf stalk armed with prickles
  • 5-28 pairs of stiff, leathery, lance-shaped leaflets, finely toothed near the tip
  • Upright cones, light brown (pollen) or yellowish-brown (seed) cones
  • Egg-shaped seeds, pink when unripe, orange when ripe
What science shows and sources
Sources (4)
Desert thorn-apple (Datura discolor)Desert thorn-apple (Datura discolor)Desert thorn-apple (Datura discolor)
Photo: jose_javier_bf · CC-BY; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Desert thorn-apple

Datura discolor · toloache, chayotillo, hierba hedionda, trompetilla, higuerilla (also the name of castor bean, Ricinus communis)
DeadlyCough, colds and breathingMouth, teeth and eyesSkin and wounds
Deadly poisonous. All Datura species contain tropane alkaloids, highest in the seeds but also in flowers, leaves, stems and unripe fruit. Swallowing causes fast heartbeat, hallucinations, dilated pupils, loss of vision, convulsions and death; 4-5 g of raw leaves or seeds can kill a child within hours.
Name confusion: 'higuerilla' is also the name of castor bean (Ricinus communis), whose seeds are also deadly. Never use either plant by mouth.
Traditional uses (3)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Asthma.
  • Toothache; ear complaints.
  • Wounds and ulcers; hemorrhoids.
How to recognize it
  • Herb or low bush 60-150 cm, stems often with purple stripes
  • Broad oval leaves, uneven at the base, entire or with a few teeth
  • Large upright trumpet flowers, white with a purple throat, tube 8-15 cm, open one night
  • Round spiny capsule 2.5-4 cm, nodding to one side, with 200-300 spines
  • Black seeds; strong unpleasant smell
Don't confuse with: Datura stramonium. Fruit held upright, oblong, with stout thick spines (D. discolor: fruit nodding and round). Equally deadly.
Don't confuse with: Datura inoxia. Corolla all white with 10 small teeth and an 8-10 cm tube; fruit spines not very strong or dense. Equally deadly.
Don't confuse with: Castor bean Ricinus communis. Not a look-alike but shares the name 'higuerilla': a shrub 1-5 m with hollow green or reddish stems and large hand-shaped leaves; no trumpet flowers. Seeds deadly.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=366
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=152
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The plant's active compounds (tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine and hyoscyamine, measured in D. discolor roots) are what poisons people; Datura is very toxic if swallowed.

Sources (7)
Haba (Hura polyandra)Haba (Hura polyandra)Haba (Hura polyandra)
Photo: symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; kdiederichsen · CC-BY-NC; nachotorres · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Haba

Hura polyandra · haba de San Ignacio, habilla, jabilla, hebilla, árbol del diablo, cuatlatlatzin (Michoacán)
DeadlyStomach and digestionWomen's health
Very toxic. Contact with the sap damages skin; eating the fruit or sap can cause gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors and death.
Recorded as abortive: never use in pregnancy.
Spiny trunk: do not climb or lean on it.
Traditional uses (2)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Seeds used for stomach ache, bile, constipation and as a purgative, boiled or chewed. The plant is very toxic and its use is extremely risky.
    DrunkSeed · Decoction or Chewed
  • One ingredient in multi-herb decoctions for delayed menstruation; also recorded as abortive
    DrunkDecoction
How to recognize it
  • Large tree to about 15 m
  • Spines on the trunk
  • Milky sap
  • Egg-shaped, yellowish-green leaves with saw-toothed edges
  • Fruit like a flattened crown that splits into many segments
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=22
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=45
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no pharmacology studies supporting the uses and calls its use extremely risky.

Sources (1)
Indian Heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum)Indian Heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum)Indian Heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Indian Heliotrope

Heliotropium indicum · cola de alacrán, hierba alacrán, lengua de sapo, pim kakwi´i tyu´ts (Popoluca, Veracruz)
DeadlyPain and inflammationKidney and bladderCough, colds and breathingMouth, teeth and eyes
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids: these cause liver damage; chronic exposure can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and death.
Traditional uses (5)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Swelling
  • Kidney stones; also high triglycerides
  • Pain relief; swollen legs (local)
    On the skinLeaf, Root · Juice
  • Asthma (root in a mixed decoction)
    DrunkRoot · Decoction or Syrup
  • Infected gums
    Mouth rinse
How to recognize it
  • Upright herb to 1.5 m with a hairy stem
  • Alternate, oval, velvety leaves
  • 50 or more small blue (sometimes white) flowers with a yellow center along a curled scorpion-tail spike
  • Flowers most of the year
Don't confuse with: Scorpion's-tail Heliotropium angiospermum. White-flowered scorpion's-tail; also toxic and has killed children.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=39
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf extracts reduced pain in mouse tests (review).

The only human trial was of a cancer drug made from the plant: its alkaloid indicine N-oxide reached a phase 1 trial in advanced cancer, with a risk of liver toxicity. No test in people of the folk uses listed here was found.

Sources (8)
Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella)Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; cacaxtla · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Manchineel

Hippomane mancinella · árbol de la muerte, manzanillo, manzanillo de playa, manzanilla de la muerte
Deadly
Every part of the tree (bark, leaves, twigs, fruit) releases a caustic milky sap. On skin it causes burn-like blisters; in the eyes it causes keratoconjunctivitis and temporary blindness.
Do not eat the small green 'apples' on the sand. Eating the fruit burns the mouth and throat and causes abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea; a few cases had bleeding ulcers of the stomach or esophagus that can be fatal, and older adults who ate two or more fruits had a dangerously slow heart rate.
Do not sit or shelter under it, especially in rain: drops of rain or sap falling from the leaves irritate skin and eyes.
Never burn the wood: the smoke is a strong eye irritant.
In Costa Rica's Guanacaste beaches, two people who collected a specimen got blisters on the face, inside the nose and in the eyes.
How to recognize it
  • Beach tree, usually 10-13 m (can be a low, leaning or sand-buried tree), right at the top of the beach or by mangroves
  • Glossy, waxy, oval leaves 5-12 cm with a fine-toothed edge, a bright yellow midrib and a long stalk with a small round gland where the leaf meets the stalk
  • Fruit: round, glossy green 'little apple' 3-4 cm across, yellow-green when ripe, sometimes with a pink blush; smells sweet and fruity; often carpets the sand
  • Gray to reddish-brown cracked bark; any cut part bleeds white milky sap
  • Flowers tiny, greenish-yellow, on spikes about 7 cm long
Don't confuse with: Ficus citrifolia. Shortleaf fig leaves have the same shape and bright midvein, but their edges are smooth (not toothed). Figs bear small figs, not apple-like fruit.
Don't confuse with: Cocoplum Chrysobalanus icaco. Cocoplum (icaco) is also a coastal shrub with round fruit, but it is a 1-2 m shrub with thick, roundish leaves and white flowers, and its fruits ripen cream, pink, purple or dark blue. Manchineel is a tree with toothed, glossy leaves, milky sap and green to yellow-green 'apples'. If unsure, do not touch or taste.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
Sources (7)
Rosary snoutbean (Rhynchosia precatoria)Rosary snoutbean (Rhynchosia precatoria)Rosary snoutbean (Rhynchosia precatoria)
Photo: uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Rosary snoutbean

Rhynchosia precatoria · ojo de pajarito, ojo de perico, colorín chiquito, ojos de cangrejo, pulguitas, negritos
Deadly
Look-alike danger: its red-and-black seeds resemble the truly poisonous seeds of rosary pea (Abrus precatorius). Old reports that Rhynchosia seeds cause madness are thought to come from this confusion.
Rosary pea seeds contain abrin; poisoning causes vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding and can kill, even 14 days later. Keep red-and-black seed jewelry away from children.
How to recognize it
  • Twining herb (vine) with leaves of three smooth-edged leaflets
  • Yellow pea flowers with a brownish-purple upper petal, in clusters
  • Short pods 1.5-2.5 cm, flattened, pinched between the 1-2 seeds
  • Red-and-black seeds; the pod color and shape are diagnostic
Don't confuse with: Abrus precatorius. Rosary pea seeds are small, oval, glossy and scarlet with a black eye at the attachment point. Treat any red-and-black seed as dangerous; do not let children chew or swallow them.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=40
What science shows and sources
Sources (6)
Rubber Vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora)Rubber Vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora)
Photo: olivia_v · CC-BY-NC; gilbertoramirez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Rubber Vine

Cryptostegia grandiflora
Deadly
Contains cardiac glycosides: a person who took a leaf extract developed digitalis-type poisoning with complete heart block.
Possible child deaths from eating rubber vine have been reported in Queensland, Australia (unconfirmed).
Milky sap causes burning rashes and blisters; dust from dry vines can cause violent coughing and blistered eyelids.
How to recognize it
  • Fast-growing climber or sprawling shrub
  • Shiny dark green leaves about 7 cm
  • Pinkish-purple (sometimes white to pink) flowers
  • Triangular 10 cm pods in wing-like pairs; milky sap
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=102
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=35
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Scorpion's-tail (Heliotropium angiospermum)Scorpion's-tail (Heliotropium angiospermum)Scorpion's-tail (Heliotropium angiospermum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Scorpion's-tail

Heliotropium angiospermum · cola de alacrán, alacrancillo, cola de gato, hierba del sapo, rabo de mico, nemax (Maya)
DeadlyStomach and digestion
Has killed children: in Barbados, children given high doses of the decoction were poisoned and died. Extract caused tumors in rats. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (liver damage).
CONABIO: risky; can be toxic in larger amounts and has poisoned people, especially children.
Traditional uses (1)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Dysentery
    DrunkLeaf · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Herb or subshrub to 1 m with slender branches
  • Hairy leaves, longer than wide
  • Many small white flowers on curled spikes shaped like a scorpion's tail
  • Wrinkled fruits with two seeds
Don't confuse with: Indian Heliotrope Heliotropium indicum. Indian heliotrope has blue to violet flowers on the same curled spike; also toxic (pyrrolizidine alkaloids).
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=176
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=14
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacological research supports the uses, per the Atlas.

Sources (6)
Wild Fig (Ficus insipida)Wild Fig (Ficus insipida)
Photo: jareth_sanguino · CC-BY-NC; diego_guerrero · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Wild Fig

Ficus insipida · amate, amatl (Nahuatl)
DeadlyStomach and digestion
The raw latex is dangerous to swallow. Overdoses cause poisoning with brain swelling; poisonings in children and at least one death have been recorded, even at amounts close to those used in treatment.
The latex and dried latex dust irritate the eyes and skin.
Traditional uses (1)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Latex taken against intestinal worms (whipworm and other parasites). The raw latex is poisonous: it has caused severe poisoning in children and at least one death.
    DrunkLatex/sap
How to recognize it
  • Large tree, up to 40 m tall
  • Milky sap runs when the bark is cut
  • Leaves long and large
  • Fruit shaped like a fig, green
Don't confuse with: Petiolate Fig Ficus petiolaris. F. petiolaris is a smaller tree (8-10 m) with a yellowish-green trunk and somewhat heart-shaped leaves with a tuft of whitish hairs underneath.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=68
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Latex killed live Ascaris in the lab; a field trial in 181 people in the Peruvian Amazon tested it, but the abstract does not say it was controlled, so it does not count as a controlled human trial.

Sources (4)
Aristolochia tentaculata (Aristolochia tentaculata)Aristolochia tentaculata (Aristolochia tentaculata)Aristolochia tentaculata (Aristolochia tentaculata)
Photo: ursinastuder · CC-BY-NC; ursinastuder · CC-BY-NC; ursinastuder · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Aristolochia tentaculata

Aristolochia tentaculata · bejuco guaco, guaco
SeriousStomach and digestion
Aristolochia species contain aristolochic acid; in Asia its use has caused urinary-tract cancers, kidney disease and liver disease. Do not take internally.
Aristolochic acids are associated with a high risk of kidney failure, multiple tumors and cancers.
Traditional uses (1)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Stomach pain, colic and gastritis
    Leaf, Stem
How to recognize it
  • Climbing vine (genus description: herbs, vines or lianas)
  • Alternate leaves, usually stalked, with a heart-shaped or lobed base and palmate veins
  • Odd pipe-shaped flowers from the leaf axils
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=19
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The genus contains aristolochic acids, which cause kidney failure and urinary-tract cancer in people; the harm comes from the plant's own compounds.

Sources (4)
Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia)Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia)Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bellyache Bush

Jatropha gossypiifolia · piñón negro, piñón colorado, túa túa, frailecillo, higuereta cimarrona
SeriousStomach and digestionSkin and wounds
Seeds and latex are toxic. The latex is extremely caustic to skin and mucous membranes; eating the seeds causes abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea and can bring heart, nerve and kidney complications. Poisonings happen because the seeds look like edible nuts.
Fresh leaves were lethal to sheep in a feeding study, and a root extract damaged rat kidneys.
Traditional uses (2)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Recorded in Mexico for stomach ache and as an emetic and purgative
  • Outside Mexico (mainly Brazil and Africa): leaf baths as antiseptic, boiled leaves to wash infected wounds, crushed fresh leaves on skin and nose bleeding
    BathLeaf · Bath or Wash or Applied
How to recognize it
  • Small shrub
  • Leaves dark green or more often dark purplish-red, palm-shaped (lobed), hairy, with saw-toothed edges, 16-19 cm long
  • Small purple flowers in clusters
  • Three-furrowed capsule fruit; dark seed with black spots
  • Caustic sap from broken stems and leaves
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=73
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=59
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts showed antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal effects in lab and animal studies; no human trials found.

Sources (2)
Cashew (Anacardium occidentale)Cashew (Anacardium occidentale)Cashew (Anacardium occidentale)
Photo: alexmunday · CC-BY-NC; alexmunday · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cashew

Anacardium occidentale · marañón, nuez de la India
SeriousBlood sugarStomach and digestionCough, colds and breathing
The raw nut shell oil (cardol) is caustic and blisters the skin; if it touches the mouth it can poison. The seed must be roasted to destroy the juice. The plant contains substances that cause allergies.
Traditional uses (3)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Diabetes
    Leaf, Bark
  • Diarrhea
    Leaf, Bark
  • Bronchitis and cough; gargle for tonsils (cashew-apple juice)
    Mouth rinseCashew apple · Juice or Mouth rinse
How to recognize it
  • Evergreen tree 1.5-10 m, trunk often twisted and branching low
  • Simple, alternate, egg-shaped leaves 7-20 cm, dull bluish green
  • Small fragrant greenish flowers tinged pink-red in end clusters
  • Kidney-shaped gray-brown nut hanging below a fleshy pear-shaped 'false fruit'
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical testing of this use was found.

Sources (4)
Coralbush (Jatropha multifida)Coralbush (Jatropha multifida)Coralbush (Jatropha multifida)
Photo: paulaselfarfalla · CC-BY-NC; mleavoy · CC-BY-NC; lyli_ramz · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coralbush

Jatropha multifida · planta de coral, tártago emético, peregrina, mertiolate
SeriousSkin and woundsStomach and digestion
Fruits and seeds are poisonous; children are drawn to their shape and color. Two boys who ate many fruits had uncontrollable vomiting and dehydration and spent 5 days in hospital; four siblings had vomiting, diarrhea and pinpoint pupils.
All parts contain a toxic milky sap that is poisonous if eaten.
Traditional uses (2)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Outside Mexico (West Africa, Benin): latex used for serious infected wounds and skin inflammation
    Latex/sap
  • Outside Mexico: leaves for constipation; latex against intestinal worms in people and animals (the latex is poisonous if eaten)
    Leaf, Latex/sap
How to recognize it
  • Single-trunked evergreen shrub or small tree, usually 2-3 m
  • Round leaves up to about 30 cm across, split like a hand into 7-11 finely divided lobes
  • Tiny coral-red flowers in flat-topped clusters, most of the year
  • Milky sap in all parts
Don't confuse with: Castor bean Ricinus communis. Castor bean also has big hand-shaped leaves, but its sap is watery (not milky), its leaves are toothed star shapes with reddish veins, and its fruit is a spiny capsule. Both are poisonous.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf extracts killed several bacteria and Candida in agar tests; no animal or human trial for wounds was in this study.

Sources (4)
Giant milkweed (Calotropis procera)Giant milkweed (Calotropis procera)Giant milkweed (Calotropis procera)
Photo: victorglez19 · CC-BY-NC; victorglez19 · CC-BY-NC; victorglez19 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Giant milkweed

Calotropis procera
Serious
Milky latex in the eye causes painless clouding of the cornea and blurred vision; reported in 29 eyes after accidental contact while picking flowers or leaves. Wash eyes and seek care.
The milky sap contains heart poisons (cardiac aglycones) of the same family as foxglove's.
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree, usually 1.8-2.4 m, on dunes, roadsides and disturbed land
  • Large, pale green, thick waxy leaves in opposite pairs
  • Clusters of white five-petaled flowers with purple tips
  • Egg-shaped fruits with hundreds of seeds tufted with white silky hair; milky latex oozes from cut stems
Don't confuse with: Tropical milkweed Asclepias curassavica. Tropical milkweed is a slender herb with narrow leaves and red-orange and yellow flowers; also toxic sap.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=222
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=25
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Santa Maria feverfew (Parthenium hysterophorus)Santa Maria feverfew (Parthenium hysterophorus)Santa Maria feverfew (Parthenium hysterophorus)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Santa Maria feverfew

Parthenium hysterophorus · escobilla, hierba de la hormiga, altamisa, escoba amargosa, hierba amargosa, confitillo
SeriousStomach and digestionStings and bitesTraditional healingFever and infection
Common cause of plant contact dermatitis: in patch tests, 24 of 90 people with plant dermatitis reacted to it.
Contains parthenin and is toxic to livestock.
Traditional uses (4)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Bile, stomach ache, intestinal fever, empacho, worms
  • Skin infections, pimples, scabies; rubbed on ant stings
    On the skinWhole plant · Applied or Decoction or Bath
  • Mal aire: one of the herbs in a 'barrida' (cleansing sweep) with an egg
    Ritual useBranches · Limpia (ritual cleansing)
  • Fever and neuralgia
How to recognize it
  • Branched, ash-green herb 60-80 cm (up to 1.5 m)
  • Deeply divided leaves; young plants form a ground rosette
  • Many tiny white flower heads in loose branched clusters
  • Common on roadsides
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=259
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas cites physicians' reports of analgesic effect but found no experimental study confirming any traditional use.

Sources (6)
Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
Photo: valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tropical milkweed

Asclepias curassavica · quiebra muelas, revienta muelas, rompe muelas, algodoncillo, venenillo, cinco llagas
SeriousMouth, teeth and eyesSkin and wounds
Poisonous. The milky latex irritates mucous membranes, is strongly purgative, and swallowing it can poison.
Contains cardiac glycosides; milky sap causes skin and eye irritation.
Traditional uses (2)

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Decayed, aching teeth: latex applied to the tooth (the latex is poisonous; do not swallow it)
    Mouth rinseLatex/sap · Sap or latex applied
  • Pimples, warts, skin infections, scabies
    On the skinLatex/sap · Sap or latex applied
How to recognize it
  • Herb 50 cm to 1.6 m with abundant milky sap
  • Narrow, lance-shaped opposite leaves
  • Umbrella-like clusters of small red-orange and yellow flowers with petals bent back
  • Pods 5-7 cm with silky-haired seeds
Don't confuse with: Giant milkweed Calotropis procera. Giant milkweed is a shrub or small tree with large, thick, waxy leaves and white flowers tipped purple; both have toxic milky sap.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=4991
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=412
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas notes few experimental studies; none supporting these uses were given.

Sources (7)
Show aisle
Stomach and digestionStings and bitesSkin and woundsCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionPain and inflammationKidney and bladderBlood sugarHeart and circulationWomen's healthNerves and sleepMouth, teeth and eyesTraditional healing
113 plants

Stomach and digestion

Diarrhea, indigestion, colic, parasites, empacho

Aristolochia tentaculataArrowrootAsthma PlantAvocadoBeach Morning Glory+108
Open
Avocado (Persea americana)Avocado (Persea americana)Avocado (Persea americana)
Photo: nicholasrocha · CC-BY-NC; nicholasrocha · CC-BY-NC; nicholasrocha · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Avocado

Persea americana · aguacate, aguacate criollo, aguacate oloroso, awakatl (Nahuatl, Guerrero), tichi (Mixtec, Guerrero), aua'catl (Nahuatl, State of Mexico)
CautionLab or animal studiesWomen's healthPain and inflammationTraditional healing
Various animals (cattle, horses, sheep, rabbits, fish, canaries) have been poisoned, sometimes fatally, by eating parts of the plant. Keep pets and livestock away from leaves and seeds.
Seed oil irritated the eyes of rabbits.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Intestinal worms (most often reported): seed coat or fruit skin infusion, or leaf decoction
    DrunkSeed coat, Fruit skin, Leaf · Infusion or Decoction
  • Diarrhea: leaves boiled with chamomile and mint
    DrunkLeaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Medium to large tree, up to 20 m
  • Leaves longer than wide with a long tip, dark green above and pale below; scented when crushed
  • Small cream-greenish flowers where leaf meets stem
  • Pear-shaped, dark green, fleshy, oily fruit with one large seed
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=22
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Seeds showed antibiotic activity and leaves molluscicidal activity in experiments.

Sources (9)
Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)
Photo: ana_ozomahtli · CC-BY-NC; raulrambar · CC-BY-NC-SA; raulrambar · CC-BY-NC-SA on iNaturalist

Black Mangrove

Avicennia germinans · mangle negro, mangle prieto
Traditional useSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Diarrhea (astringent bark)
    Bark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Mangrove tree to 20 m on the landward side of the mangrove
  • Dark brown to blackish bark broken into small plates
  • Opposite, fleshy, hairless leaves, yellow-green above and dull gray-green beneath
  • Small white flowers with a yellow base in dense clusters
  • Flattened green-to-tan capsules, seeds sprout on the tree
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=48
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The source attributes the effect to tannins. No lab or clinical testing of this use was found.

Sources (2)
Botoncillo (Casearia corymbosa)Botoncillo (Casearia corymbosa)Botoncillo (Casearia corymbosa)
Photo: vicsteinmann · CC-BY-NC; alexiz · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; pcarreyes · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Botoncillo

Casearia corymbosa · varablanca, garrapatilla
Traditional use
Used for
  • Used 'for drunkenness' (la borrachera)
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree 3 to 10 m, gray bark with white dots (lenticels)
  • Alternate leaves 5 to 18 cm with toothed edges; held to the light they show translucent dots and lines
  • Small white fragrant flowers
  • Small capsules 0.7 to 2 cm turning red or orange, seeds wrapped in orange flesh
  • Drops its leaves in the dry season
Don't confuse with: Casearia arguta. Similar leaves, but its ripe fruits are yellow.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=21
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical study found.

Sources (4)
Bullhorn acacia (Vachellia cornigera)Bullhorn acacia (Vachellia cornigera)Bullhorn acacia (Vachellia cornigera)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bullhorn acacia

Vachellia cornigera · cornezuelo, árbol del cuerno, cachito de toro, cuernitos, chicorno, subin, subin-che (Maya)
CautionTraditional useMouth, teeth and eyesStings and bitesWomen's health
The hollow horn-shaped thorns house aggressive ants that defend the tree against animals and people who touch it. Do not grab the branches.
Recorded to promote labor; avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Diarrhea, including teething diarrhea in children
    DrunkRoot · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Spiny shrub about 3 m
  • Large paired thorns shaped like bull horns, often with ants living inside
  • Feather-like leaves of many small leaflets
  • Tiny yellow flowers in cylindrical spikes
  • Red or brown pods with black seeds
Don't confuse with: Sweet acacia Vachellia farnesiana. Huizache has very fragrant yellow flower balls (not cylindrical spikes) and white spines 1-5 cm that are not horn-shaped.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=31
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas entry has no pharmacology section.

Sources (9)
Buttercup Tree (Cochlospermum vitifolium)Buttercup Tree (Cochlospermum vitifolium)Buttercup Tree (Cochlospermum vitifolium)
Photo: neftali8994 · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Buttercup Tree

Cochlospermum vitifolium · rosa amarilla, palo amarillo, pongolote, pochote, tecomasúchil, apanico (Guerrero)
Lab or animal studiesWomen's healthSkin and woundsBlood sugar
Used for
  • Jaundice (tiricia): bathing in or drinking bark water
    BathBark, Leaf · Macerate or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree to 15 m with dark brown bark
  • Lobed leaves like an open hand, on long stalks
  • Large, showy yellow flowers, usually when the tree is leafless (dry season)
  • Egg-shaped capsules 7-10 cm with seeds in silky cotton
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=261
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=113
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Ethanol and water extracts lowered blood sugar in diabetic mice.

Sources (3)
Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera)Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera)Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; rachmunger · CC-BY-NC; cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coconut Palm

Cocos nucifera · coco, cocotero, palma de coco, coyolli (Nahuatl, Mexico City)
CautionTested in peopleWomen's health
Ripe coconut water can be irritating, and fruit juice sensitized the skin of guinea pigs and adults in tests.
Used for
  • Intestinal worms, amoebas and dysentery: coconut water or flesh
    DrunkFruit · Juice or Eaten
  • Empacho (husk-fiber tea)
    DrunkHusk fiber · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Tall, unbranched palm with a thick straight trunk
  • Feather leaves 3-4 m long in a crown at the top
  • Large fruit with leathery skin, fibrous husk and woody shell
  • Typical of coastal plains
Don't confuse with: Macaw palm Acrocomia aculeata. Coyol has a trunk covered in black spines and spiny leaves and flower clusters; coconut has no spines.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=169
What science shows and sources
What science shows

In a clinical trial with 22 patients, eating the fruit had no effect on hookworm (a different worm from the Ascaris named in the folk use).

Sources (5)
Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
Photo: alisonbabb · CC-BY-NC; alisonbabb · CC-BY-NC; jwagner1960 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cocoplum

Chrysobalanus icaco · icaco, jicaco, ciruela blanca, ciruela de paloma, ciruela morada, tüech (Oaxaca)
CautionLab or animal studies
Repeated doses of leaf extract for 28 days raised liver enzymes and changed liver tissue in rats; the authors advise care with prolonged use.
Roasted ground seeds are used to make people vomit; the seed preparation is an emetic.
Used for
  • Diarrhea: ground seeds or fruit are boiled and the liquid drunk as tea
    DrunkSeed, Fruit · Decoction
  • Dysentery: infusion of the leaves or ground seeds
    DrunkLeaf, Seed · Infusion
  • Appetite: decoction of stem and leaves with sugar
    DrunkStem, Leaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1–2 m tall; smooth bark with small white dots
  • Thick, roundish leaves
  • Showy white flowers
  • Round fruit, cream, pink, purple or dark blue depending on ripeness
Don't confuse with: Manchineel Hippomane mancinella. Both grow near the beach and mangroves with round fruit. Icaco fruit ripens cream, pink, purple or dark blue and the leaves are thick and roundish; manchineel fruit is a bright green 'little apple' turning greenish yellow, and its leaves are finely toothed with a small gland where the leaf meets the stalk.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A seed extract reduced paw swelling in mice by 55%, similar to indomethacin; the diarrhea use itself has not been tested.

Sources (8)
Common guava (Psidium guajava)Common guava (Psidium guajava)Common guava (Psidium guajava)
Photo: gabrielitha_garcia · CC-BY-NC; gabrielitha_garcia · CC-BY-NC; gabrielitha_garcia · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Common guava

Psidium guajava · guayaba, guayabo, guayabilla, xalxócotl (Nahuatl), xaxokotl (Nahuatl, Guerrero), xolxocatl (Guerrero)
Tested in peopleSkin and woundsFever and infectionWomen's healthTraditional healing
Used for
  • Diarrhea and dysentery: leaf decoction or infusion, drunk.
    DrunkLeaf · Decoction or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree 4-10 m with smooth brown bark
  • Hard oval leaves, hairy underneath, with raised veins
  • Single white or cream fragrant flowers with many stamens
  • Round fragrant fruit with yellow or pink pulp and many seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=51
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=76
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A randomized double-blind trial of a quercetin-standardized guava-leaf product in 50 adults with acute diarrhea found it shortened abdominal pain; an open-label trial in India found leaf decoction shortened recovery vs oral rehydration alone.

Leaf extracts reduced gut contractions and inhibited Shigella, E. coli and Salmonella in lab tests.

Sources (2)
Common lantana (Lantana camara)Common lantana (Lantana camara)Common lantana (Lantana camara)
Photo: mora17918 · CC-BY-NC; mora17918 · CC-BY-NC; mora17918 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Common lantana

Lantana camara · gobernadora, confituría, cinco negritos, siete negritos, orozús, alfombrilla hedionda
CautionTested: no benefit or harmfulCough, colds and breathingWomen's healthStings and bites
Leaves are poisonous to livestock and lab animals (liver damage, jaundice, extreme sun sensitivity); the Atlas calls its use high risk.
Children who swallowed berries or leaves mostly had no or mild symptoms (vomiting, belly pain) in 641 poison-center cases; no deaths.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Strong, acute diarrhea and colic: tea of leaves, branches or root, often with guava leaves or cinnamon; dysentery (Mixe, Totonac, Zapotec).
    DrunkLeaf, Branches, Root · Tea or Decoction or Chewed
How to recognize it
  • Small upright or scrambling shrub 1-3 m, hairy, prickly on older parts
  • Rough leaves, hairy underneath, from elongated to rounded
  • Showy flat clusters of small flowers in yellow, orange and red (often changing color)
  • Small round black berries in clusters like little blackberries
  • Strong smell when crushed
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=364
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=54
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says the toxicity of the leaf lantadenes A and B is fully confirmed and calls internal use high-risk; the toxic principles are probably also the active ones.

Sources (2)
Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Common Purslane

Portulaca oleracea · verdolaga, verdolaga de agua, tiangui (Michoacán), mixquilic (Puebla)
CautionTested in peopleBlood sugarPain and inflammation
Look-alike: low spurges (Euphorbia) grow in the same places and have milky, poisonous sap that irritates eyes and skin. Purslane has clear, watery sap.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Intestinal infections, 'heat in the stomach', constipation and worms: whole-plant decoction or tea; poultice on the belly.
    DrunkWhole plant, Leaf, Branches · Decoction or Tea or Wash or Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Low herb lying flat on the ground, with reddish, juicy stems
  • Fleshy, oval, often reddish leaves
  • Small yellow star-like flowers
  • Capsule fruits with many brown seeds
  • Broken stem shows clear (not milky) sap
Don't confuse with: Euphorbia. Spotted spurge and other low, spreading spurges have thin, wiry stems that ooze milky, sticky sap when broken; their leaves are thin (not fleshy), often with a dark red spot, and their flowers are tiny and pinkish, not yellow stars.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=133
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Meta-analyses of randomized trials found purslane lowered fasting blood glucose but did not change HbA1c, insulin or insulin resistance; authors call for better trials.

Leaf and stem extracts were antibacterial in lab tests.

Sources (3)
Common wild petunia (Ruellia nudiflora)Common wild petunia (Ruellia nudiflora)Common wild petunia (Ruellia nudiflora)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Common wild petunia

Ruellia nudiflora · maravilla de monte, hierba de la calentura, hierba lombriz, xiote, jarisha (Cora, Nayarit)
Traditional useTraditional healingFever and infection
Used for
  • Vomiting, diarrhea and 'latido' (stomach pain)
    DrunkWhole plant, Root · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Hairy herb 20 cm to 1 m tall
  • Elongated dark green leaves
  • Purple trumpet-shaped flowers in showy clusters
  • Small elongated pod-like fruits
Don't confuse with: Mexican Ruellia Ruellia simplex. Mexican petunia has long, narrow willow-like leaves (15-30 cm) often tinged purple; R. nudiflora leaves are shorter and the plant is hairy.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=188
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas states there are no experimental studies confirming its effectiveness.

Sources (4)
Cordia elaeagnoides (Cordia elaeagnoides)Cordia elaeagnoides (Cordia elaeagnoides)Cordia elaeagnoides (Cordia elaeagnoides)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cordia elaeagnoides

Cordia elaeagnoides · cueramo, bocote, borcino
Traditional useCough, colds and breathingSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Internal ulcers (stem infusion); diarrhea and intestinal infections
    Stem · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Tree to 20 m with thick branches and gray-brown bark
  • Elongated leaves 6-14 cm, dark green above, pale and velvety beneath
  • Showy clusters of white flowers at the branch tips
  • Small nut-like fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=76
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says the hemorrhoid use, recorded since the 16th century, has not been tested experimentally.

Sources (4)
Crested anoda (Anoda cristata)Crested anoda (Anoda cristata)Crested anoda (Anoda cristata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; yolcaquixtiani · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Crested anoda

Anoda cristata · violeta, alache, alanche, malva, violeta de campo, flor de campanita
Traditional useMouth, teeth and eyesCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionTraditional healing
Used for
  • Congestion from overeating or drinking: flower decoction, alone or with chamomile
    DrunkFlower · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb 30-50 cm, sprawling or upright
  • Leaves from triangular to hand-shaped
  • Small purple flowers on long, hairy stalks
  • Green, round, flattened fruit divided into many parts; with the 5 calyx lobes it looks like a little star
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=498
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=109
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology section in the Atlas entry.

Sources (7)
Cuachalalate (Amphipterygium adstringens)Cuachalalate (Amphipterygium adstringens)Cuachalalate (Amphipterygium adstringens)
Photo: alfredoavila · CC0; vshalisko · CC-BY; vshalisko · CC-BY on iNaturalist

Cuachalalate

Amphipterygium adstringens · chalalate, cuachalala, cuachalalatl (Nahuatl)
Lab or animal studiesSkin and woundsMouth, teeth and eyesWomen's health
Used for
  • Ulcers, gastritis and stomach complaints
    DrunkBark · Decoction or Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Tree to about 10 m with a twisted trunk
  • Gray-brown to lead-gray bark with large scales
  • Leaves clustered at branch tips, 3-5 together, dull green above and gray-green below
  • Pale green, elongated winged nut-like fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=21
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Bark decoction and extract protected the stomach lining in rats; another rat study found no effect on gastric secretion.

A methanol extract had antitumor activity in mice with mammary tumors.

Sources (3)
False Daisy (Eclipta prostrata)False Daisy (Eclipta prostrata)False Daisy (Eclipta prostrata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

False Daisy

Eclipta prostrata
Lab or animal studiesSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Purgative and emetic (roots); liver protection
    Root
How to recognize it
  • Herb to 1 m with flattened hairs, stems often purplish and rooting at nodes
  • Opposite, narrow, slightly toothed, rough leaves up to 10 cm
  • Small white daisy-like heads (about 1 cm) on short stalks
  • Wet ditches and riverbanks
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=96
What science shows and sources
What science shows

CONABIO says the liver-protective properties are partly confirmed scientifically.

Sources (3)
Gomphrena Weed (Gomphrena serrata)Gomphrena Weed (Gomphrena serrata)Gomphrena Weed (Gomphrena serrata)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Gomphrena Weed

Gomphrena serrata · amor seco, inmortal
Traditional useWomen's healthTraditional healingFever and infection
Used for
  • Stomach ache, diarrhea, dysentery
    DrunkWhole plant, Flower cluster · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Herb 25-40 cm with green or reddish hairy stems
  • Elongated leaves, hairier underneath
  • Purple or whitish flower spikes that look like straw (papery)
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=106
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says no chemical or pharmacological studies support its uses.

Sources (2)
Hairbrush Cactus (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum)Hairbrush Cactus (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum)Hairbrush Cactus (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum)
Photo: vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Hairbrush Cactus

Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum · cardón, cardón hecho, hecho, órgano, pitayo cimarrón, e'cho (Mayo, Sinaloa)
Traditional useKidney and bladderSkin and woundsFever and infection
Used for
  • Colic, gastritis, ulcer and colitis
    Stem
How to recognize it
  • Tree-sized columnar cactus 5–10 m tall
  • Fleshy, spiny stems
  • Showy flowers up to 7 cm long
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=63
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=245
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas states there are no pharmacological studies supporting these uses; isoquinoline alkaloids have been detected in the plant.

Sources (2)
Hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta)Hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta)Hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Hairy indigo

Indigofera hirsuta · añil velloso
CautionTraditional usePain and inflammation
Described as possibly poisonous; can severely irritate the hooves of animals.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Leaves used as a laxative
    Leaf
How to recognize it
  • Erect or spreading herbaceous legume, 60-230 cm
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=19
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a general plant-use database records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (3)
Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil)Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil)Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Japanese morning glory

Ipomoea nil · amol, campanilla, campanilla azul, trompillo, trompillo morado, flor de verano
CautionLab or animal studiesKidney and bladder
The seeds are a strong purgative and are listed as poisonous in Chinese sources; their toxic ingredients are not fully known.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Seeds used as a purgative and to expel worms (outside Mexico: Chinese, Japanese and Korean medicine; the seeds are a strong purgative listed as poisonous)
    Seed
How to recognize it
  • Twining or trailing annual vine with rough-hairy stems
  • Leaves 3-12 cm, usually 3-lobed, heart-shaped at the base
  • Blue funnel flowers 3.5-4.5 cm with a white tube, turning pink as they fade
  • Long narrow sepals (1.5-3 cm) tapering to a thread-like point, densely hairy
  • Weed of disturbed bushy places near settlements, mostly below 1000 m
Don't confuse with: Ipomoea purpurea. Lobed-leaf forms look similar, but I. purpurea has shorter, oblong sepals and usually pink flowers. Its seeds are sold as the same purgative crude drug.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=248
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Animal and lab studies attribute the purgative action to the resin glycoside fraction pharbitin; a 2023 review says the toxic ingredients are not entirely clear.

Sources (6)
Licorice Weed (Scoparia dulcis)Licorice Weed (Scoparia dulcis)Licorice Weed (Scoparia dulcis)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Licorice Weed

Scoparia dulcis · culantrillo, anisillo, escobilla, epazote de monte, hierba del golpe, mishishe (Nahuatl, Michoacán)
CautionLab or animal studies
Not recommended for pregnant women.
Used for
  • Diarrhea and stomach ache
    Whole plant
How to recognize it
  • Much-branched herb with square stems
  • Narrow, elongated leaves
  • Small white flowers in clusters
  • Grows on roadsides and disturbed ground
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts were antispasmodic in guinea-pig ileum and the methanol extract was antibacterial; no human trial found for this use.

The Atlas says reported hypoglycemic data are insufficient, and a two-patient clinical observation found no blood-sugar effect.

Sources (3)
Low rattlebox (Crotalaria pumila)Low rattlebox (Crotalaria pumila)Low rattlebox (Crotalaria pumila)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; jareth_sanguino · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Low rattlebox

Crotalaria pumila · chepil, chipil, tronador
SeriousTraditional useSkin and wounds
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (pumilines, monocrotaline type), mainly in the seeds. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Crotalaria are known for severe liver toxicity.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids can cause severe liver and kidney damage after activation in the liver.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Empacho (stomach blockage), with massage
    DrunkTea
How to recognize it
  • Herb about 30 cm tall, stem sometimes woody at the base
  • Leaves of three leaflets joined at one point
  • Yellow flowers in clusters at the branch tips
  • Small rattle-like pods; the seeds rattle when shaken
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=137
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=65
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology section in the Atlas entry.

Sources (6)
Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata)Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata)Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata)
Photo: cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC; cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC; cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Macaw palm

Acrocomia aculeata · coyol, cocoyul, kum (Oaxaca), maap (Tének)
CautionLab or animal studiesBlood sugar
Trunk, leaves and flower clusters carry sharp black spines.
Used for
  • Intestinal worms: chewing the seeds
    Eaten or chewedSeed · Chewed
How to recognize it
  • Palm with a trunk covered in black spines
  • Large feather-like leaves with spines along the midrib
  • Spiny flower clusters
  • Round fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=16
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A water extract of the fruit lowered blood sugar in mice with induced hyperglycemia.

Sources (3)
Madras Thorn (Pithecellobium dulce)Madras Thorn (Pithecellobium dulce)Madras Thorn (Pithecellobium dulce)
Photo: guadalupe_maganda_silva · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Madras Thorn

Pithecellobium dulce · guamúchil, guamuchil dulce, guamúchil amargo, pinzán, huamuchil, tichi coo bíchí (Mixtec, Guerrero)
CautionLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsMouth, teeth and eyesTraditional healing
Spiny branches. Do not put sap or plant liquids in the eyes: no safety study for that use was found.
Used for
  • Diarrhea (its main use): bark decoction, drunk
    DrunkBark · Decoction
  • Empacho, in compound remedies
    DrunkBark · Tea or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree 15-20 m with a thick trunk and spiny branches
  • Leaves divided into groups of 4 leaflets
  • Small ball-shaped flowers, yellowish, greenish or pink
  • Twisted pods, green to reddish, pinched between seeds
  • Shiny black seeds wrapped in a white-reddish aril
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=106
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=209
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Ethanol extract of branches was antibiotic against S. aureus; Atlas says no pharmacological studies corroborate effectiveness.

Sources (8)
Mexican Marigold (Tagetes erecta)Mexican Marigold (Tagetes erecta)Mexican Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Mexican Marigold

Tagetes erecta · cempasúchil, flor de muerto, cempoal, flor de difunto, veinte flores, cempoalxóchitl (Nahuatl)
CautionLab or animal studiesCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionTraditional healingNerves and sleep
Used traditionally to cause abortion (listed by the Atlas as 'abortiva'); avoid in pregnancy.
Sap on broken skin plus sunlight can cause redness, burning and blisters; flower scent can irritate nose and eyes.
Used for
  • Stomach ache, empacho, diarrhea, colic, worms
    DrunkFlower · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb 60 cm to 1 m, strongly aromatic when crushed
  • Feather-divided leaves with narrow toothed lobes and oil dots
  • Large bright yellow to orange flower heads
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=746
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The leaf and stem essential oil was antibiotic against several bacteria and fungi.

Sources (6)
Monkey pod tree (Samanea saman)Monkey pod tree (Samanea saman)Monkey pod tree (Samanea saman)
Photo: kino · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; juanramonmanjarrez · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; minmin_jz · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Monkey pod tree

Samanea saman · cenicero
Traditional useCough, colds and breathing
Used for
  • Diarrhea: decoction of inner bark or fresh cambium and leaves
    Inner bark, Leaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Very large tree with a wide umbrella-shaped crown
  • Twice-divided leaves; leaflets fold up in the evening and on cloudy days
  • Pink-and-white powderpuff flower clusters
  • Straight, somewhat fleshy pods 15-20 cm with sweet pulp
Don't confuse with: Guanacaste / Earpod Tree Enterolobium cyclocarpum. Guanacaste/parota has coiled, ear-shaped black shiny pods instead of straight pods.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a Philippine compilation records this use; no Mexican record and no clinical test was found.

Sources (6)
Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Moonflower

Ipomoea alba · amole, dama de noche, flor de luna, trompillo, bejuco de cuajar hule, bejuco de vaca
Traditional useStings and bitesMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Stomachache, laxative, nausea (outside Mexico: Samoa, Hawaii)
How to recognize it
  • Vigorous climbing vine to 10 m, stems sometimes with soft spiny bumps
  • Heart-shaped leaves 5-15 cm ending in a fine hair-like point, sometimes lobed
  • Large white flowers: a long narrow greenish-white tube 5-12 cm opening to a flat white disc 4-5 cm
  • Egg-shaped capsules about 3 cm
  • Grows in damp, disturbed thickets, especially along shaded streams
Don't confuse with: Ipomoea muricata. Hard to tell apart in fruit; I. alba has longer bristle points on the sepals.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=75
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Mexican lab work found alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in this species, which is unrelated to the listed folk uses; no test of the folk uses was found.

Sources (4)
Moringa tree (Moringa oleifera)Moringa tree (Moringa oleifera)Moringa tree (Moringa oleifera)
Photo: taniaortega · CC-BY-NC; taniaortega · CC-BY-NC; taniaortega · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Moringa tree

Moringa oleifera · moringa, jacinto
SeriousTraditional useCough, colds and breathingKidney and bladder
A macerate of fresh leaves irritates the skin and can even raise blisters.
Roots contain alkaloids and spirochin and are considered toxic; root and stem-bark extracts caused fetal loss in pregnant rats. Avoid root and bark, especially in pregnancy.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Yellow diarrhea.
How to recognize it
  • Small tree 3-4 m with whitish bark
  • Leaves finely divided into small leaflets (2-3 times divided)
  • White or yellowish-white, very fragrant flowers in pyramid-shaped clusters
  • Long, three-sided pods with winged seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=61
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=42
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no studies supporting these uses; leaf, pod and seed are also eaten.

Sources (2)
Nance (Byrsonima crassifolia)Nance (Byrsonima crassifolia)Nance (Byrsonima crassifolia)
Photo: neftali8994 · CC-BY-NC; neftali8994 · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Nance

Byrsonima crassifolia · nanche, nanche dulce, nanchi, nanatsin, changungo, nanchi, nanatsin (Guerrero)
Traditional useSkin and woundsMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Diarrhea (most frequent use), dysentery, stomach pain, empacho
    DrunkBark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree 5-10 m with dark, rough brown bark
  • Stiff leaves longer than wide, with yellow hairs underneath
  • Showy clusters of yellow and reddish flowers
  • Round yellow or reddish fruits in bunches, sweet-sour
Don't confuse with: Nanchi de perro Bunchosia palmeri. Nanchi de perro has ovate leaves 8-17 cm and small round fruits; the Atlas gives no information that its fruit is edible.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=59
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=49
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no pharmacological studies corroborate these actions.

Sources (7)
Nanchi de perro (Bunchosia palmeri)Nanchi de perro (Bunchosia palmeri)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; carlosbosqueasalvo · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Nanchi de perro

Bunchosia palmeri · palo sapo
Traditional useCough, colds and breathing
Used for
  • Diarrhea
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree
  • Ovate leaves 8-17 cm
  • Small round fruits
Don't confuse with: Nance Byrsonima crassifolia. Nanche has stiff leaves with yellow hairs underneath, showy yellow-to-reddish flower clusters and yellow or reddish sweet-sour fruits in bunches.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=24
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no historical or experimental information supports its use.

Sources (4)
Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis)Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis)Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; yolcaquixtiani · CC-BY-NC; yolcaquixtiani · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Pacific Coast Mahogany

Swietenia humilis · caoba, caobilla, cóbano, flor de zopilote, palo zopilote, zopilote
Traditional useWomen's healthSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Empacho: seed decoction
    DrunkSeed · Decoction
  • Stomach pain and amoebic dysentery; diarrhea
    DrunkSeed, Bark · Decoction or Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Tree about 10 m
  • Leaves divided into leaflets
  • Small flowers
  • Fruits that dry and release winged seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=11
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=405
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no experimental information validates its uses.

Sources (6)
Papaya (Carica papaya)Papaya (Carica papaya)Papaya (Carica papaya)
Photo: louisthe1st · CC-BY-NC; viridelao · CC-BY-NC; cheeseville · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Papaya

Carica papaya · papayo, fruta bomba, papaya de castilla, papaya de pájaro, papayito cimarrón, pitzahuac (Nahuatl, Puebla)
SeriousTested in peopleCough, colds and breathingSkin and wounds
The latex (milky sap of green fruit and stems) irritates and can blister skin, and swallowing it can cause severe gastritis.
Avoid papaya seed preparations in pregnancy: a seed extract harmed embryos in pregnant rats.
May increase the effect of warfarin (blood thinner) and the risk of bruising and bleeding.
People allergic to latex are often also allergic to papaya.
Unprocessed papain may harm the fetus; avoid medicinal amounts in pregnancy.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Intestinal worms: the seeds, the fruit or a leaf tea. The latex has also been taken, but swallowing it can cause severe gastritis.
    Eaten or chewedSeed, Fruit, Leaf, Latex/sap · Eaten or Tea
  • Constipation: the fruit, eaten.
    Eaten or chewedFruit · Eaten
How to recognize it
  • Unbranched tree about 5 m tall
  • Large, deeply cut, light green leaves crowded at the top of the trunk
  • Fragrant yellow flowers growing on the trunk
  • Large fleshy fruit 20–30 cm, green turning yellow-orange, with many small black seeds
  • Abundant milky sap
Don't confuse with: Jacaratia mexicana. Wild papaya relative. Its leaves are divided into 3–7 separate leaflets joined at one point; papaya leaves are one large, deeply cut blade.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=40
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=87
What science shows and sources
What science shows

In 60 Nigerian children, a dried-seed and honey elixir cleared parasites from 23 of 30 stools versus 5 of 30 with honey alone after 7 days; a small pilot trial.

Extracts of all plant parts showed antibacterial and antifungal activity in the lab; papain is described as aiding wound healing.

Sources (12)
Paradise Tree (Simarouba amara)Paradise Tree (Simarouba amara)Paradise Tree (Simarouba amara)
Photo: luishernandez_brd · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; teamvalor786succulentsandcacti · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; eugenio_padilla · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Paradise Tree

Simarouba amara · aceituno, pasak, pa´sak (Maya, Quintana Roo; recorded for S. glauca)
Lab or animal studiesFever and infection
Used for
  • Amoebiasis
  • Indigestion and nervous vomiting (recorded for the closely related S. glauca, also called aceituno)
How to recognize it
  • Tree 10 to 30 m with a rounded crown of dense, shiny foliage
  • Yellowish bark with green or gray patches
  • Any broken part bleeds a clear, bitter, resinous sap
  • Compound leaves with 9 to 20 alternate leaflets
  • Small greenish or yellowish flowers; fruits 1 to 2 cm, green turning black
Don't confuse with: Matayba oppositifolia. Its leaves are opposite at the twig tips and its fruits are capsules.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=15
What science shows and sources
What science shows

For S. glauca the Atlas reports strong antimalarial activity in chicks and uncontrolled reports of improvement in adults with amoebiasis (3 of 7 patients given a stem extract); no controlled trial and nothing specific to S. amara was found.

Sources (6)
Petiolate Fig (Ficus petiolaris)Petiolate Fig (Ficus petiolaris)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; emmguevara · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Petiolate Fig

Ficus petiolaris · saiba amarilla, tescalama (Sonora), amate amarillo
Traditional useSkin and woundsCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionWomen's healthPain and inflammation
Used for
  • Intestinal parasites (worms).
    Latex/sap, Resin · Juice
How to recognize it
  • Tree 8-10 m with a yellowish-green trunk
  • Leaves somewhat heart-shaped, deep green above, with a tuft of whitish hairs underneath
  • Figs green with red, velvety spots
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=14
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=36
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas notes the old and current uses coincide but cites no lab or clinical studies.

Sources (1)
Plantain (Musa × paradisiaca)Plantain (Musa × paradisiaca)Plantain (Musa × paradisiaca)
Photo: symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Plantain

Musa × paradisiaca · plátano, plátano manzano, it´atd (Tének)
Lab or animal studiesStings and bitesTraditional healing
Used for
  • Diarrhea (Oaxaca); empacho (Mixtec, Zapotec and Totonac use).
How to recognize it
  • Large non-woody plant 1-3 m with thick trunk-like stems
  • Bright green leaves nearly 2 m long
  • Flowers protected by red or purple bracts
  • Long fruits, yellow when ripe, hanging in bunches
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Several rat and guinea pig studies found anti-ulcer activity of the fruit; the Atlas says the confirmed activities are not related to the traditional uses listed.

Sources (1)
Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba (Ceiba aesculifolia)Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba (Ceiba aesculifolia)Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba (Ceiba aesculifolia)
Photo: alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba

Ceiba aesculifolia · pochote, apochote, puchote, ceiba, piim, yaxche' (Maya)
CautionTraditional useSkin and wounds
Straight trunk covered in thick spines.
Used for
  • Purgative and emetic
How to recognize it
  • Tree 5-18 m with a straight trunk covered in thick spines
  • Grayish-brown bark
  • Leaves of 5-7 leaflets spreading from one point
  • Large, showy white flowers
  • Large capsules that split when dry, full of seeds
Don't confuse with: Kapok Ceiba pentandra. Kapok grows much larger (to 40 m), with gray to greenish bark and leaves of 7 leaflets at the branch tips.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=70
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=171
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology section in the Atlas entry.

Sources (4)
Pond Apple (Annona glabra)Pond Apple (Annona glabra)
Photo: betootero · CC-BY-NC; lili_jm15 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Pond Apple

Annona glabra · anona silvestre, corcho, palo de corcho, mak, xmak´oop (Maya)
Traditional useBlood sugarMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Dysentery and diarrhea
    DrunkRoot, Leaf, Young shoots · Juice or Infusion or Tea
How to recognize it
  • Tree 7-10 m with thin reddish-brown bark
  • Elongated, dark green, glossy leaves
  • Yellow-green flowers with a carmine-red spot
  • Round fruit that turns yellow; bland reddish-cream pulp
  • Grows by estuaries, mangroves and coasts
Don't confuse with: Sugar Apple / Custard Apple Annona squamosa. Sugar apple has knobby, segmented green fruit with sweet white pulp and smaller pale leaves (3-7 cm); pond apple fruit is smooth, yellow and bland.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies confirming effectiveness.

Sources (3)
Purple scalystem (Elytraria imbricata)Purple scalystem (Elytraria imbricata)Purple scalystem (Elytraria imbricata)
Photo: uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Purple scalystem

Elytraria imbricata · anisillo, cola de alacrán, cordoncillo, cordón de San Juan, pata de pollo, riendilla
Lab or animal studiesKidney and bladderWomen's health
Used for
  • Diarrhea, especially in children
    DrunkWhole plant · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Low herb, lying flat or upright, up to about 50 cm
  • Leaves in a ground rosette, narrow near the flowers and widening toward the tip
  • White or pale blue two-lipped flowers on stiff, cord-like spikes
  • Dark brown fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=254
What science shows and sources
What science shows

An ethanol extract was antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus faecalis in the lab.

Sources (3)
Pyramid Flower (Melochia pyramidata)Pyramid Flower (Melochia pyramidata)Pyramid Flower (Melochia pyramidata)
Photo: vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Pyramid Flower

Melochia pyramidata · escobilla, morad nijimb (Huave)
CautionTraditional use
Toxic to cattle: reported to cause hind-leg paralysis, marked light sensitivity, mucous-membrane ulcers, severe constipation and death. Contains alkaloids (including meloquinine). Do not take by mouth.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Recorded as a purgative tea of rubbed leaves (the plant is toxic; do not take it by mouth)
    DrunkLeaf · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Herb or small shrub about 1 m
  • Leaves widest in the middle with toothed edges
  • Small purple, pink or lilac flowers between leaf and stem
  • Pyramid-shaped capsule with sharp wings
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=217
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=27
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no chemical or pharmacological studies corroborate its effectiveness.

Sources (5)
Quassia (Quassia amara)Quassia (Quassia amara)Quassia (Quassia amara)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Quassia

Quassia amara · cuasia
CautionTraditional useFever and infection
The Atlas warns against using the leaves because of reported toxic effects (a leaf extract was toxic to fish and tadpoles).
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Bilis (bile complaints), dyspepsia, roundworms and sluggish bowel: decoction of bark and aerial parts, or bark and root with orange peel, drunk.
    DrunkBark, Aerial parts, Root · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Small tree with yellow, very bitter wood
  • Leaves divided into 5 pointed leaflets
  • Red flowers in clusters
  • Fruits with a fleshy part and a hard part
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas lists only antitumor tests in mice; no study of the digestive uses.

Sources (1)
Querenderenicua (Vitex pyramidata)Querenderenicua (Vitex pyramidata)Querenderenicua (Vitex pyramidata)
Photo: styvdejesscalva · CC-BY-NC; vicsteinmann · CC-BY-NC; vshalisko · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Querenderenicua

Vitex pyramidata
Traditional useCough, colds and breathingWomen's healthKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Diarrhea: leaf decoction
    DrunkLeaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree about 15 m
  • Divided leaves, velvety underneath
  • Small purple flowers
  • Fleshy fruits
Don't confuse with: Coyotomate Vitex mollis. Coyotomate usually has 3 leaflets on a long stalk and blue-white or lilac-white fragrant flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology section in the Atlas entry.

Sources (4)
Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)
Photo: naturazihua-24 · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Red Mangrove

Rhizophora mangle · mangle rojo
Lab or animal studiesMouth, teeth and eyesSkin and woundsWomen's health
Used for
  • Dysentery and diarrhea: root decoction, or bark infusion.
    DrunkRoot, Bark, Whole plant, Latex/sap · Decoction or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Mangrove tree 6-8 m (to 25 m) growing in water at lagoon edges
  • Arching stilt roots and aerial roots
  • Large, dark green, entire leaves in opposite pairs
  • Small cream or yellowish-white flowers at branch tips
  • Seedling starts growing while still on the tree (long hanging pod-like shoot)
Don't confuse with: Avicennia germinans (mangle negro). Black mangrove has no stilt roots; instead pencil-like breathing roots (pneumatophores) up to 20 cm or more stick up from the mud, and leaves often have salt crystals underneath.
Don't confuse with: Laguncularia racemosa (mangle blanco). White mangrove has no stilt roots; its leaves have reddish stalks with two small glands on either side.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=51
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=43
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf and stem extracts were active against many bacteria and fungi in lab tests; early-20th-century clinical observations on leprosy are anecdotal.

Sources (2)
Rosary Babybonnets (Coursetia glandulosa)Rosary Babybonnets (Coursetia glandulosa)Rosary Babybonnets (Coursetia glandulosa)
Photo: robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC; robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC; robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Rosary Babybonnets

Coursetia glandulosa · samota, zuzupe, zamo'ot (Pima)
Traditional useCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionStings and bites
Used for
  • Jaundice; purgative
    BathBark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub up to 5 m
  • Divided leaves with opposite leaflets
  • Clusters of 5-10 pale pink or white flowers with pale yellow wings
  • Pods with notches between the seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=69
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology section in the Atlas entry.

Sources (3)
Sabino (Astianthus viminalis)Sabino (Astianthus viminalis)Sabino (Astianthus viminalis)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sabino

Astianthus viminalis · ahuejote, tirinchicua (Michoacán)
CautionTraditional useKidney and bladderSkin and wounds
Leaf juice is used traditionally by women who want to abort; avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Torzón (colic)
    DrunkRoot · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Usually a low tree (up to 15 m) with a thick ringed trunk
  • Narrow, pointed, willow-like leaves up to 28 cm
  • Heavily flowering clusters
  • Hanging fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=36
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Compounds from the plant showed no antimicrobial activity.

Sources (3)
Sandpaper tree (Curatella americana)Sandpaper tree (Curatella americana)
Photo: marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA; marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA on iNaturalist

Sandpaper tree

Curatella americana · hojamán, rasca viejo, raspa viejo, rasca la vieja, chaparro, lengua de vaca
Traditional useKidney and bladderWomen's health
Used for
  • Diarrhea: infusion of the fruit rind with other plants, drunk as tea (Guerrero); stomach ache (Oaxaca)
    DrunkFruit rind · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Small tree about 6 m with a thick trunk and gray bark
  • Leaves longer than wide, thick and leathery, irregular edges, clustered at branch tips
  • White or pink flowers in pyramid-shaped clusters
  • Round fleshy fruits that look like small grapes, with black seeds
  • Dry tropical forest and disturbed ground, 40 to 700 m
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas notes scarce chemical and pharmacological studies; the only tests listed are molluscicidal activity and no uterine-stimulant effect, none on the traditional uses.

Sources (2)
Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)
Photo: tyler_hoar · CC-BY-NC-ND; jadriana · CC-BY-NC; guillermo_sg · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Sapodilla

Manilkara zapota · chicozapote, zapote, zapote chico, ya´, sak ya´ (Maya)
CautionTraditional use
Seeds have been described as emetic, causing severe pains; do not eat the seeds.
Reported to raise blisters (the source does not say which part of the plant).
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Dysentery and diarrhea: bark decoction as tea, or water in which the bark soaked.
    DrunkBark, Fruit · Decoction or Macerate or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 40 m with brown bark and sticky milky sap (chicle)
  • Glossy dark green leaves clustered at branch tips, paler underneath
  • White flowers where leaf meets stem
  • Oval brown fruit with sweet flesh and shiny black seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=53
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas lists antibacterial activity of a leaf extract against Proteus vulgaris but says the diuretic use is not validated; no study of the antidiarrheal use.

Sources (1)
Scarlet spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea)Scarlet spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea)Scarlet spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Scarlet spiderling

Boerhavia coccinea · hierba de la hormiga, abrojo rojo, arete, cordoncillo, golondrina, juanamilpili
Traditional use
Used for
  • Recorded as an emetic (to cause vomiting) in Brazil; no Mexican medicinal use found
How to recognize it
  • Perennial herb, stems lying on the ground with upturned tips, 0.3-2 m long, hairy and sometimes glandular
  • Leaves opposite, the two of a pair unequal, egg-shaped to nearly round, up to 5.5 cm, sometimes with brown dots
  • Small bell-shaped flowers, pink-red, dark red or wine-colored (rarely white), in compact clusters
  • Fruit brown to nearly black, 5-ribbed, with sticky hairs that cling to animal fur and clothing
  • Root a stout taproot
Don't confuse with: Boerhavia diffusa. B. diffusa usually has leafless, much-branched, hairless or nearly hairless flower stalks, with flowers in groups of 2 to 5.
Don't confuse with: Erect spiderling Boerhavia erecta. Erect spiderling has tiny whitish flowers in very open clusters and smooth fruits.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=281
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a plant-use database records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (3)
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa)Sea Almond / Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa)Sea Almond / Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa)
Photo: carlos2 · CC-BY-NC; ncaerulea · CC-BY-NC; isabel_soria · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

Terminalia catappa · almendro, almendro de playa, almendra, almendro malabar, almendro de Tehuantepec
CautionLab or animal studiesMouth, teeth and eyesCough, colds and breathingTraditional healingPain and inflammationFever and infection
A leaf extract given by mouth killed 20% of rats at a single high dose (2,000 mg/kg) and 30% at 1,500 mg/kg in repeated dosing; no deaths at 500 mg/kg.
Used for
  • Diarrhea and intestinal infections
How to recognize it
  • Tree 5–16 m tall, common along beaches
  • Large, broad, tough, glossy leaves rounded at the tip, turning red before they drop in the dry season
  • Small white star-like flowers without petals, on spikes
  • Fruit like a small mango with a point at the tip, green turning yellow and red
Don't confuse with: Manchineel Hippomane mancinella. Both are beach trees with fruit on the sand. Almendro leaves are large and broad, and its fruit is shaped like a small mango with a pointed tip. Manchineel leaves are only 5–12 cm, finely toothed, with a small gland where the leaf meets the stalk, and its fruit is a round green 'little apple' 3–4 cm across. Manchineel sap and fruit are poisonous.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=17
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A leaf-and-stem extract showed analgesic and temperature-lowering effects in rats (by injection); other activities tested negative.

Extracts were active only against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Salmonella paratyphi A among the microbes tested.

Sources (9)
Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera)Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera)Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera)
Photo: deneb16 · CC-BY-NC; deneb16 · CC-BY-NC; fieldjay · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sea Grape

Coccoloba uvifera · uvero, uva de playa, uva de mar
Lab or animal studiesFever and infection
Used for
  • Chronic diarrhea and dysentery (listed in Maximino Martínez, 1943, for Veracruz); used as an antidiarrheal in the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas
How to recognize it
  • Beach tree or shrub 5 to 15 m with a rounded crown, trunk branching low
  • Round, leathery leaves 7 to 20 cm, bluish-green on top with reddish veins
  • Small white fragrant flowers
  • Round or pear-shaped fruits 1 to 2 cm, green turning red, purple or black; ripe pulp is edible
  • Always grows near the coast
Don't confuse with: Coccoloba. Other Coccoloba species are confused with it, but sea grape always grows near the coast and has round leaves with bluish-green upper side and reddish veins.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=49
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=151
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 2024 lab study reports that sea grape extract relaxed gut smooth muscle.

Sources (6)
Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood (Hibiscus tiliaceus)Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood (Hibiscus tiliaceus)Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
Photo: pnvg_apffhg · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood

Hibiscus tiliaceus · majagua, malabago (Philippines)
Traditional useFever and infectionCough, colds and breathing
Used for
  • Roots and bark used as appetizer and laxative
    Root, Bark
How to recognize it
  • Much-branched tree 4-12 m
  • Heart-shaped leaves with a pointed tip, dark green above and whitish-hairy below
  • Large funnel-shaped yellow flowers with a purple center, turning orange to pink in the afternoon
  • Hairy capsules that split into 5 parts
Don't confuse with: Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Garden hibiscus has long, pointed, saw-toothed leaves rather than heart-shaped ones.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a secondary plant-use compilation records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (7)
Sleepy Morning (Waltheria indica)Sleepy Morning (Waltheria indica)Sleepy Morning (Waltheria indica)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sleepy Morning

Waltheria indica · tapacola, hierba del soldado, escobillo blanco, hierba del pasmo, hierba del cáncer, malva de monte
CautionLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsFever and infectionPain and inflammation
The Atlas says toxicity studies are needed to set safe ranges; whole-plant extract LD50 was 500 mg/kg in mice by injection.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Diarrhea (main use), dysentery, empacho
    DrunkWhole plant, Root · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Erect or sprawling herb
  • Thick leaves longer than wide, soft-hairy, with deeply sunken veins and toothed edges
  • Fragrant yellow flowers in small clusters where leaves meet the stem
  • Small one-seeded capsules
Don't confuse with: Waltheria glomerata. The most similar species has white flowers and is more of a shrub than a herb.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=294
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=67
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts were antibacterial and antifungal in vitro and lowered body temperature in mice.

CONABIO notes that scientific support for its commercial preparations seems weak.

Sources (8)
Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
Photo: adrian71 · CC-BY-NC; sandykeller · CC-BY; panza_rayada · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Spanish Moss

Tillandsia usneoides · heno, paxtle, pastle, paistle, barba española, gallitos
Lab or animal studiesBlood sugarCough, colds and breathingKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Whole plant boiled and drunk for gastritis
    DrunkWhole plant · Decoction
  • Steam baths (vaporizations) for hemorrhoids
    On the skinWhole plant · Steam
How to recognize it
  • Hangs from tree branches in gray, branching threads up to several meters long
  • Silver-gray scales cover stems and leaves; no roots
  • Tiny pale blue-green three-petaled flowers, 6 to 8 mm
  • Not a moss or lichen: it is a bromeliad (pineapple family)
Don't confuse with: Tillandsia recurvata. Ball moss (also called heno or paxtle) forms small tufts with short stems, not long hanging strands, and has small light-purple flowers on a long stalk.
Don't confuse with: Usnea. Beard lichens are gray-green and have no flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=15
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=15
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A water extract lowered blood sugar in rats, and a leaf extract eased pain in mice; no human trial found.

Sources (6)
Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sponge Gourd

Luffa aegyptiaca · estropajo, calabacilla, esponja vegetal, paste, zacate, cuacualastle (Hidalgo)
CautionTraditional useSkin and woundsTraditional healing
The fruits contain a toxic bitter principle; an extract of the aerial parts was toxic to mice by injection (LD50 31.6 mg/kg). Do not eat bitter fruits.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Used against intestinal parasites and worms (Veracruz)
How to recognize it
  • Vigorous climbing vine, runners over 10 m, usually near houses, on fences and posts
  • Leaves 6 to 25 cm, roundish with 5 to 7 lobes, rough to the touch, deeply heart-shaped base
  • Large, rather flat, bright yellow flowers (petals 2.5 to 3.5 cm) in clusters
  • Fruit 10 to 30 cm, cylindrical, green with dark green bands, drying brown and fibrous inside (the loofah sponge)
  • Many flat, dark brown to almost black seeds; branched tendrils
Don't confuse with: Sponge cucumber Luffa operculata. Much smaller flowers (up to 1.5 cm) and small spiny fruits; L. operculata is a strong purgative and abortifacient.
Don't confuse with: Cucurbita. Squashes have unbranched tendrils; loofah tendrils are branched.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=224
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=258
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says the experimentally tested actions (antiviral, antibiotic, antimalarial in lab) have no apparent relation to the traditional uses; no tests of the traditional uses found.

Sources (2)
Sugar Apple / Custard Apple (Annona squamosa)Sugar Apple / Custard Apple (Annona squamosa)Sugar Apple / Custard Apple (Annona squamosa)
Photo: kashmanchan · CC-BY-NC; kashmanchan · CC-BY-NC; kashmanchan · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sugar Apple / Custard Apple

Annona squamosa · anona, saramuyo, saramullo, ts´almuy (Maya, Yucatán)
SeriousLab or animal studies
Seeds are toxic. Plant extracts were embryotoxic in rats. Avoid in pregnancy.
Squamocin from the seeds was lethal and neurotoxic to zebrafish larvae at very low doses.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Dysentery and colic
    On the skinLeaf · Applied or Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Leafy tree 6-8 m with brown bark
  • Hairless, glossy, pale green leaves 3-7 cm long
  • Greenish-white flowers with fleshy petals
  • Orange-sized round or heart-shaped fruit, green when ripe, sweet white pulp
Don't confuse with: Pond Apple Annona glabra. Pond apple grows in mangroves and estuaries and has a smooth yellow fruit with bland pulp.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Seed juice was antispasmodic in guinea-pig ileum; the Atlas says the few studies do not allow conclusions on effectiveness.

Sources (6)
Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; nival · CC-BY-NC; nival · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sweet acacia

Vachellia farnesiana · huizache, huisache, guizache, aroma, vinorama, espino blanco
CautionLab or animal studiesMouth, teeth and eyesStings and bitesTraditional healingWomen's healthCough, colds and breathing
Fruit essential oil strengthened the effect of barbiturate sedatives in rats: possible interaction with sedatives.
No toxicology studies for this species; two related Acacia species have caused severe poisoning in livestock.
Stems carry many white spines 1-5 cm long.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Empacho (its main use on the coast): bark decoction
    DrunkBark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Much-branched shrub or tree up to 7 m
  • Smooth stems with many white or whitish spines 1-5 cm
  • Small feather-like leaves
  • Very fragrant yellow flower balls
  • Thick, somewhat flattened pods with rounded tips
Don't confuse with: Bullhorn acacia Vachellia cornigera. Cornezuelo has large horn-shaped thorns with ants living inside.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=442
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=272
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A pod extract was anti-inflammatory in rodent paw-edema tests.

No antibacterial activity in vitro, but activity against Candida albicans.

Sources (13)
West Indian Elm (Guazuma ulmifolia)West Indian Elm (Guazuma ulmifolia)West Indian Elm (Guazuma ulmifolia)
Photo: motmot11 · CC-BY-NC; enviroken · CC-BY-NC; peterlfrench · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

West Indian Elm

Guazuma ulmifolia · guázima, guácima, guásima, cuaulote, caulote, tapaculo
CautionLab or animal studiesKidney and bladderStings and bitesWomen's health
Bark extract stimulated the uterus of rats; the Atlas found no toxicity information. Avoid in pregnancy.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Diarrhea: bark, leaf or shoot decoction, drunk
    DrunkBark, Leaf, Shoots · Decoction
  • Empacho: massage from hands and feet toward the trunk with oil, then bark decoction with chamomile
    DrunkBark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 25 m whose bark flakes off in small pieces
  • Leaves broad at the base, narrowing to the tip
  • Small yellowish flowers
  • Round black fruits 2-4 cm with a bumpy skin
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=128
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=198
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf extracts were antibiotic in vitro against S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis and Shigella dysenteriae.

Sources (8)
White leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala)White leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala)White leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala)
Photo: guadalupe_maganda_silva · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; catfacedgirl · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

White leadtree

Leucaena leucocephala · guaje, huachi (Nahuatl, Puebla), lalax (Tepehua), li'hak (Totonac)
CautionTraditional useStings and bitesBlood sugar
Eating the plant was toxic to pigs (hair loss, reproductive problems); the Atlas warns that internal use carries toxicity risks.
Contains mimosine, which can be toxic if large amounts are eaten.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Stomach inflammation: raw seeds eaten
    Eaten or chewedSeed · Eaten
How to recognize it
  • Tree with feather-like compound leaves that close at night
  • Small white flowers in showy, scented balls
  • Pods up to 20 cm long
Don't confuse with: Leucaena. CONABIO says it can be confused with other guajes; it is told apart by leaf details (more than 10 pairs of pinnae, leaflets 2-4.5 mm wide) and white flower heads.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=143
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=212
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The only lab result in the Atlas is a contraceptive effect in sows; nothing on the listed uses.

Sources (8)
White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)
Photo: pimienta · CC-BY-NC; edmeepardo · CC-BY-NC; jose_javier_bf · CC-BY on iNaturalist

White Mangrove

Laguncularia racemosa · mangle blanco, mangle bobo, mangle chino, sak-okom (Maya)
Traditional useMouth, teeth and eyesFever and infection
Used for
  • Dysentery (traditional remedy)
How to recognize it
  • Mangrove shrub or tree with prominent prop roots
  • Two small bumps (glands) on each leaf stalk
  • Opposite, elliptical leaves rounded at both ends, 4–10 cm, fleshy, without visible veins
  • Flowers in spikes at branch tips, July to October
  • Almond-shaped grooved fruit
Don't confuse with: Manchineel Hippomane mancinella. Manchineel grows among mangroves. White mangrove leaves are opposite (in pairs) with two glands on the leaf stalk; manchineel leaves are alternate, finely toothed, with one small gland where the leaf meets the stalk, and its fruit is a green 'little apple'.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=36
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=22
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The source attributes the bark's action to its tannin content (citing Morton 1989); no test of the remedy was found.

Sources (4)
White manjack (Cordia dentata)White manjack (Cordia dentata)White manjack (Cordia dentata)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

White manjack

Cordia dentata · uvito, tihuilote
Traditional use
Used for
  • Diarrhea (leaf infusion; fruit)
    Leaf, Fruit · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Tree
  • Fruit with sticky, translucent pulp, used locally as glue for kites (as C. alba)
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=87
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=46
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only 2% of people interviewed mentioned this use; no tests.

Sources (3)
Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta)Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta)Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta)
Photo: mora17918 · CC-BY-NC; mora17918 · CC-BY-NC; mora17918 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Whitemouth dayflower

Commelina erecta · hierba del pollo, matlali, matlalina, tripa de gallina, cantillo, Santa Lucía
Traditional useMouth, teeth and eyesWomen's healthKidney and bladderSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Heartburn (agruras): stem decoction, drunk.
    DrunkBranches · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Herb 40–60 cm tall
  • Long, narrow, pointed leaves that wrap around the stem
  • Blue flowers sheltered in a leaf-like fold, looking like a bud
  • Dark capsule fruit
Don't confuse with: Purple Heart Tradescantia pallida. Also called 'hierba del pollo'. It has purple leaves and stems and pink to pale purple flowers; Commelina erecta has green leaves and blue flowers. Purple heart sap can irritate skin.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=1017
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found only one chemical study (seed lectins) and no pharmacological tests; eye use is recorded since the 16th century.

Sources (8)
Wide Spikenard (Mesosphaerum suaveolens)Wide Spikenard (Mesosphaerum suaveolens)Wide Spikenard (Mesosphaerum suaveolens)
Photo: yolirolly · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Wide Spikenard

Mesosphaerum suaveolens · chan, chía, chía cimarrona, salvia cimarrona, hierba del burro, chao
CautionLab or animal studiesSkin and wounds
Leaf extract blocked embryo implantation in 100% of treated rats; avoid in pregnancy or when trying to conceive.
Considered dangerous to domestic animals in some regions.
Used for
  • Diarrhea (its most common use): root decoction or leaf infusion
    DrunkRoot, Leaf · Decoction or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Branched plant up to 2 m with long white hairs on the stems
  • Strong smell when touched
  • Thin, ovate, pointed leaves that look wrinkled
  • Purple or white tubular two-lipped flowers in loose whorls
Don't confuse with: Salvia hispanica. Its seeds are used in drinks like true chía, which is why both are called chía; true chía is a different Salvia.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=24
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Essential oil of the aerial parts was antibiotic against more than 13 bacteria, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger in vitro.

Aerial-part extract lowered blood sugar in rats.

Sources (9)
Yellow alder (Turnera ulmifolia)Yellow alder (Turnera ulmifolia)Yellow alder (Turnera ulmifolia)
Photo: victor0001 · CC-BY; santiagob1986 · CC-BY-NC; santiagob1986 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Yellow alder

Turnera ulmifolia · marilope
Lab or animal studiesCough, colds and breathing
Used for
  • Used for indigestion (dyspepsia)
How to recognize it
  • Evergreen herb or small shrub about 1.5 m tall
  • Leaves glossy dark green, lance- to egg-shaped, slightly rough, up to 12 cm, with toothed (saw-like) edges
  • Two small nectar glands at the base of the leaf stalk
  • Bright yellow flowers about 6 cm across, borne where the leaf meets the stem
  • Fruit a small egg-shaped capsule, 6-8 mm
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=95
What science shows and sources
What science shows

In Brazilian rodent studies, the tea (freeze-dried infusion) and extracts reduced experimentally induced stomach ulcers and inflammation; no human trial found.

Sources (3)
Aristolochia tentaculata
Aristolochia tentaculataSerious

Stomach pain, colic and gastritis (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Arrowroot
Arrowroot

Dried rhizome given to convalescents

See full card →
Asthma Plant
Asthma Plant

Mentioned for stomach ache (preparation not specified)

See full card →
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

Dysentery; also used as a purgative

See full card →
Beach naupaka
Beach naupaka

Bitter leaves eaten for indigestion

See full card →
Bejuco blanco
Bejuco blanco

Digestive disorders

See full card →
Bellyache Bush
Bellyache BushSerious

Recorded in Mexico for stomach ache and as an emetic and purgative (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Bitter Melon
Bitter MelonSerious

Used against intestinal worms (Ascaris); rhizome tea for intestinal fever (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Browne's blechum
Browne's blechum

Heartburn, loose stools and diarrhea

See full card →
Byttneria aculeata
Byttneria aculeata

Diarrhea

See full card →
Cascalote
Cascalote

Diarrhea and internal ulcers; astringent and tonic (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cashew
CashewSerious

Diarrhea (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Seed oil used as a purgative and against intestinal worms (the seeds are deadly, and oil pressed with heat carries ricin) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cochineal Nopal Cactus
Cochineal Nopal Cactus

Ulcer: the pad is left to stand in water and the foam it releases is drunk; also in a mixed infusion

See full card →
Coffee Senna
Coffee SennaDeadly

Children's diarrhea (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coralbush
CoralbushSerious

Outside Mexico: leaves for constipation; latex against intestinal worms in people and animals (the latex is poisonous if eaten) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coralillo
Coralillo

Dysentery: leafless stem soaked in water, drunk

See full card →
Coyotomate
Coyotomate

Diarrhea: shoots boiled with other plants (Jalisco)

See full card →
Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia
Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia

Diarrhea and stomach pain

See full card →
Cudjoewood
Cudjoewood

Dysentery, intestinal colic and worms (powdered seeds against worms) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cypress Vine
Cypress Vine

Purgative (outside Mexico: Dominican Republic, Australia); piles

See full card →
Erect spiderling
Erect spiderling

Used for spasms (antispasmodic) and as a strong purgative

See full card →
Fence Post Tree
Fence Post Tree

Empacho (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Guanacaste / Earpod Tree
Guanacaste / Earpod Tree

Diarrhea and digestion (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Guinea Hen Weed
Guinea Hen Weed

Stomach ache: root decoction with other herbs; gastroenteritis.

See full card →
Gumbo Limbo
Gumbo Limbo

Dysentery and stomach ache (bark)

See full card →
Haba
HabaDeadly

Seeds used for stomach ache, bile, constipation and as a purgative, boiled or chewed. The plant is very toxic and its use is extremely risky. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Jacaratia mexicana
Jacaratia mexicana

'Stomach heat' (calor estomacal)

See full card →
Jamaican Cherry
Jamaican Cherry

Diarrhea, stomach ache, empacho and vomiting.

See full card →
Jicaro Tree
Jicaro Tree

Diarrhea, belly inflammation, cysts (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Lipsticktree
Lipsticktree

Stomach ache, empacho, diarrhea, dysentery

See full card →
Monarch climbing fern
Monarch climbing fern

Diarrhea, dysentery, nausea

See full card →
Moses-in-the-cradle
Moses-in-the-cradle

Intestinal infections and pain: leaf juice or tea (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Neem
NeemSerious

Stomach upset (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Noni
NoniSerious

Gastrointestinal problems (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Peacock flower
Peacock flowerSerious

Purgative; colic (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Pink Trumpet Tree
Pink Trumpet Tree

Dysentery and stomach inflammation

See full card →
Possum grape
Possum grape

Stomach ache: the plant boiled with other herbs and drunk.

See full card →
Prickly Pear
Prickly Pear

Diarrhea and empacho: the root is boiled, alone or in mixed remedies

See full card →
Provision tree
Provision tree

Dysentery: stem and bark decoction

See full card →
Santa Maria feverfew
Santa Maria feverfewSerious

Bile, stomach ache, intestinal fever, empacho, worms (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Scarlet Cordia
Scarlet Cordia

Stomach disorders (bark infusion)

See full card →
Scorpion's-tail
Scorpion's-tailDeadly

Dysentery (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Stinkingtoe
Stinkingtoe

Dysentery, diarrhea and ulcer

See full card →
Tamarind
Tamarind

Vomiting or diarrhea: seed decoction

See full card →
Trailing Daisy
Trailing Daisy

Vomiting

See full card →
Tropical blazingstar
Tropical blazingstar

Empacho; purgative (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Tropical speedwell
Tropical speedwell

Worms (outside Mexico: India)

See full card →
Turk's cap
Turk's cap

Dysentery

See full card →
Twoleaf nightshade
Twoleaf nightshade

Seeds used for intestinal worms (Kanikkar people, India); fruits used as a tonic and laxative and to improve appetite (Uttar Pradesh, India) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
White Copal
White Copal

Stomach disorders

See full card →
Wild Fig
Wild FigDeadly

Latex taken against intestinal worms (whipworm and other parasites). The raw latex is poisonous: it has caused severe poisoning in children and at least one death. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
20 plants

Stings and bites

Scorpions, insects, snakes. For a scorpion sting or a snakebite, go to a clinic or call 911; see the note in this aisle.

Asthma PlantBeach Morning GloryBullhorn acaciaCastor beanCat's Claw+15
Open
Asthma Plant (Euphorbia hirta)Asthma Plant (Euphorbia hirta)Asthma Plant (Euphorbia hirta)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; chasemathey · CC-BY on iNaturalist

Asthma Plant

Euphorbia hirta · golondrina, hierba de la golondrina, jiotosa, riñonina, alfombrilla, copatli (Nahuatl, Morelos)
CautionLab or animal studiesStomach and digestionCough, colds and breathingKidney and bladder
Like other spurges it has milky sap; spurge sap in the eyes has caused pain, loss of vision, keratoconjunctivitis and uveitis. Keep the latex away from eyes (the Atlas records a historical use of the latex on eyelids; do not do this).
Used for
  • Leaves toasted or roasted and applied to pimples and boils; milky latex dabbed on scrapes, warts, mosquito bites and pimples; used for skin sores and infected wounds
    On the skinLeaf, Latex/sap · Applied or Sap or latex applied
How to recognize it
  • Small herb up to 40 cm, densely hairy, upright or lying flat
  • Small leaves, often with a red spot
  • Breaks to show milky sap
  • Many tiny flowers packed in dense round clusters
  • Small capsules that split when dry; pink seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=227
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=85
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts were active against amoebas and several disease bacteria in the lab, and acute toxicity in mice was low; no controlled human trial found for these uses.

A 2018 systematic review found only one human study and called the evidence inadequate; that study (Lahore, 125 patients) had no control group.

Sources (3)
Cat's Claw (Martynia annua)Cat's Claw (Martynia annua)Cat's Claw (Martynia annua)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cat's Claw

Martynia annua · torito, uña de gato, ítsik' kuxkum (Tének)
SeriousTraditional useSkin and wounds
Seed extract was toxic to mice (median lethal dose 100 mg/kg). Do not eat the seeds.
The hooked fruits catch on animals' legs and can injure cattle.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Snakebite and spider bite
    On the skinSeed, Leaf, Flower · Applied or Eaten
How to recognize it
  • Plant about 1.5 m
  • Somewhat heart-shaped leaves with a few points, more or less hairy
  • White or pinkish flowers with red or purple spots
  • Compressed capsules with little hooked horns (the 'cat's claw')
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=92
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=32
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: pharmacological studies have not addressed the traditional uses.

Sources (7)
Coyotomate (Vitex mollis)Coyotomate (Vitex mollis)Coyotomate (Vitex mollis)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coyotomate

Vitex mollis · cuyomate, ahuilote, capulincillo, nanche de perro, uvalana, cuahuilote (State of Mexico)
Traditional useStomach and digestionKidney and bladderCough, colds and breathing
Used for
  • Scorpion and other venomous stings: leaf decoction drunk or applied
    DrunkLeaf, Shoots · Decoction or Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Medium tree up to 15 m
  • Leaves almost always of 3 leaflets on a long stalk
  • Clusters of fragrant blue-white or lilac-white flowers with a tuft of hairs
  • Round, fleshy fruits
Don't confuse with: Querenderenicua Vitex pyramidata. Its leaves are velvety underneath and its small flowers are purple.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=177
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=49
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas entry gives no pharmacology results; it says only that long use hints at effectiveness.

Sources (7)
Monarch climbing fern (Lygodium venustum)Monarch climbing fern (Lygodium venustum)Monarch climbing fern (Lygodium venustum)
Photo: symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Monarch climbing fern

Lygodium venustum · culebrina, hierba de la víbora, bejuco chino, crispillo, papantepazole (Hidalgo), chiman (Veracruz)
Traditional useStomach and digestionWomen's healthFever and infection
Used for
  • Snakebite and scorpion sting: leaf by mouth, or ground root, stem and leaves as tea and applied
    DrunkLeaf, Root, Stem · Taken by mouth or Tea or Applied
How to recognize it
  • Small climbing fern
  • Lance-shaped leaf segments with many fine hairs
  • Lines of spores on the underside of the leaves
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no historical or experimental information supporting its uses.

Sources (6)
Spurred Catasetum (Catasetum integerrimum)Spurred Catasetum (Catasetum integerrimum)Spurred Catasetum (Catasetum integerrimum)
Photo: eloirhdz · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; lulhdez · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; elfroy · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Spurred Catasetum

Catasetum integerrimum · cola de pato, chinela, chi´i tku´uk (Maya)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Snakebite (Quintana Roo); boils (Tabasco); to dissolve tumors (Yucatán).
How to recognize it
  • Epiphytic orchid (grows on trees)
  • Flowers on a short stalk, red-spotted
  • Lip with a round opening; lip edge smooth and overlapping
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=75
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=23
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies.

Sources (1)
Three-lobe false mallow (Malvastrum coromandelianum)Three-lobe false mallow (Malvastrum coromandelianum)Three-lobe false mallow (Malvastrum coromandelianum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA on iNaturalist

Three-lobe false mallow

Malvastrum coromandelianum · malvón, hierba de flor, marvarisco, escobillo, cáncer yuga (Mayo, Sonora)
Lab or animal studiesCough, colds and breathingWomen's health
Used for
  • Infected bites and scratched pimples with pus: leaves boiled and applied
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
How to recognize it
  • Hairy herb or small shrub
  • Single flowers on short stalks where leaf meets stem
  • Five yellow to orange petals, 7-9 mm
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=233
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=25
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Whole-plant aqueous extract was antibiotic against E. coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Sources (7)
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

Stings and bites of venomous animals; Leaves used as a folk remedy for jellyfish stings (outside Mexico: Thailand, Brazil and elsewhere)

See full card →
Bullhorn acacia
Bullhorn acacia

Insect bites: macerated leaves

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Seed oil applied to skin swellings, pimples and insect bites; leaves fried with chile, garlic and mustard applied to sores and wounds (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common lantana
Common lantana

Scorpion, insect and other stings ('ponzoña de picadura de alacrán'), snakebite, pimples and boils (listed without preparation). (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia
Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia

Scorpion sting

See full card →
Cypress Vine
Cypress Vine

Sores and carbuncles; snakebite (outside Mexico: India; Australia)

See full card →
Giant reed
Giant reed

Scorpion stings and bruises: root decoction.

See full card →
Moonflower
Moonflower

Boils, wounds, nettle stings (outside Mexico: Samoa)

See full card →
Plantain
Plantain

To heal wounds: the resin mixed with lime and honey.

See full card →
Rosary Babybonnets
Rosary Babybonnets

Scorpion stings

See full card →
Santa Maria feverfew
Santa Maria feverfewSerious

Skin infections, pimples, scabies; rubbed on ant stings (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia

Insect bites: tincture of bark or root in alcohol (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
West Indian Elm
West Indian Elm

Skin rashes, sores, wounds, snakebite, scorpion sting: baths or washes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
White leadtree
White leadtree

Chewed shoots placed on the bite of the 'carga basura' insect (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
75 plants

Skin and wounds

Cuts, burns, sunburn, rashes, fungus

Asian SpiderflowerBe-still treeBejuco blancoBellyache BushBig caltrop+70
Open
Big caltrop (Kallstroemia maxima)Big caltrop (Kallstroemia maxima)Big caltrop (Kallstroemia maxima)
Photo: gilbertoramirez · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Big caltrop

Kallstroemia maxima · abrojo, abrojo de flor amarilla, verdolaga, sanguinaria, batatilla, caldero
CautionTraditional use
Considered toxic and harmful to livestock because of its saponins, which can break down red blood cells and cause muscle weakness and death.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Used in traditional medicine to bring boils and skin abscesses to a head
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb with stems lying flat or sprawling up to 1-1.5 m, with white or yellow hairs
  • Compound leaves with an even number of leaflets (6-8, rarely 12), the end pair usually largest
  • Five-petaled flowers 7-25 mm across, white to yellow or pale orange, often darker at the base, flowering all year
  • Fruit a small round capsule 5-6 mm with a long beak, hairless, covered in blunt bumps, not sharp spines
  • Weedy, disturbed ground at low elevations
Don't confuse with: Kallstroemia pubescens. Grows alongside it on the Yucatán Peninsula; K. maxima has hairless fruits, K. pubescens hairy fruits and usually paler (white) petals.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=69
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a documented-use statement was found; the same note reports extracts used against leaf blight on crops, which is not a human-health test.

Sources (3)
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)
Photo: jwagner1960 · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bitter Melon

Momordica charantia · cundeamor, balsamina, bálsamo, pepino cimarrón, melón amargo, amor seco
SeriousTested in peopleFever and infectionBlood sugarKidney and bladderStomach and digestionWomen's health
Lowers blood sugar and can add to the effect of diabetes medicines, risking dangerous hypoglycemia; do not combine with insulin or diabetes drugs without medical supervision.
Reported adverse effects include hypoglycemic coma and convulsions in children.
Avoid in pregnancy: animal studies show abortion, uterine bleeding and birth defects.
The seeds (inside the bright red pulp of the ripe orange fruit) contain vicine, which can cause a favism-like illness with headache, fever, abdominal pain and coma; the wild form should not be eaten.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Burns, pimples, rash, scabies and wounds; toasted ground leaves are put on burns and a decoction of branches and leaves is used to wash wounds
    On the skinLeaf, Branches · Applied or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Short-lived climbing vine with long, thin, hairy stems
  • Alternate leaves cut into 5 to 7 lobes, edges sometimes toothed
  • Small yellow five-lobed flowers
  • Warty, egg-shaped fruit, green turning orange or golden
  • Ripe fruit bursts open in lobes, showing seeds wrapped in bright red flesh
  • Flowers and fruits all year; weed of roadsides and field edges
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=228
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=170
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 2012 Cochrane review of four small, high-risk-of-bias trials found no significant difference in glycemic control versus placebo, metformin or glibenclamide.

A 2024 meta-analysis of eight randomized trials (423 patients) reported a modest fall in fasting glucose (-0.85 mmol/L), with high heterogeneity; the authors say better trials are needed.

Fruit extracts were antibacterial and antifungal in test-tube studies (S. aureus, E. coli, Candida albicans); no human wound trials found.

Sources (7)
Browne's blechum (Ruellia blechum)Browne's blechum (Ruellia blechum)Browne's blechum (Ruellia blechum)
Photo: symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC; symbiiotica · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Browne's blechum

Ruellia blechum · anilillo negro, cancerillo, olotillo
Traditional useStomach and digestionPain and inflammation
Used for
  • Erysipelas, gangrene, washing wounds to prevent infection
    WashLeaf · Decoction or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Herb up to 1 m
  • Pale green, pointed leaves that droop as if wilted
  • Pink, blue or white petals tucked inside leafy bracts
  • Dry fruits split open
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=71
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas has no experimental data supporting its use.

Sources (2)
Callingcard vine (Entada polystachia)Callingcard vine (Entada polystachia)Callingcard vine (Entada polystachia)
Photo: javiperezsoza · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Callingcard vine

Entada polystachia · bejuco prieto, bejuco de paringue, paringue, yei (Oaxaca)
Traditional useMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Hair loss: ground seed applied; soaked root used to wash hair
    On the skinSeed, Root · Applied or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Tall climbing shrub (liana) without spines
  • Flowers in dense, very flowery clusters
  • Pods 5-6 cm wide
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=22
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=35
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no chemical or pharmacological studies that validate its uses.

Sources (2)
Candelabra Bush (Senna alata)Candelabra Bush (Senna alata)Candelabra Bush (Senna alata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Candelabra Bush

Senna alata · hoja de baraja, bajagua
Tested in people
Used for
  • Skin conditions: severe pimples (tlacotes), jiotes and ringworm (tiña); raw leaf ground with salt and applied
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1-2 m with stout branches
  • Leaves divided into 6-12 pairs of leaflets
  • Abundant clusters of yellow flowers
  • Glossy pods up to 15 cm
Don't confuse with: Coffee Senna Senna occidentalis. Coffee senna is a smaller plant (1 m or less) with few-flowered yellow clusters and narrow flattened pods full of brown seeds. Its seeds are documented to kill children who eat them.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=58
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=37
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 10-year study in people in India reported improvement of pityriasis versicolor with the leaf extract and no side effects; the abstract does not describe a control group.

Meta-analysis: two randomized trials (157 people) of S. alata lotion versus placebo; the authors are uncertain about the effect (very low certainty).

Sources (5)
Cascalote (Libidibia coriaria)Cascalote (Libidibia coriaria)Cascalote (Libidibia coriaria)
Photo: antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cascalote

Libidibia coriaria
CautionTraditional useStomach and digestion
The Atlas describes the plant as astringent and toxic, a property known since the 16th century.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Scabies and skin spots
How to recognize it
  • Tree 3-9 m with rough bark and no spines
  • Leaves divided into leaflets
  • White or yellowish flowers in clusters
  • Twisted, coiled pods
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no pharmacological studies validate its uses.

Sources (4)
Egyptian woodrose (Distimake aegyptius)Egyptian woodrose (Distimake aegyptius)Egyptian woodrose (Distimake aegyptius)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Egyptian woodrose

Distimake aegyptius · trompillo, campanilla, tsots-ak', tso' ots' aak' (Maya), Egyptian woodrose, hairy wood-rose (English)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Dried leaves used as a dressing for burns (outside Mexico: tropical Africa)
    On the skinLeaf · Dressing
How to recognize it
  • Twining vine with hairy (bristly) stems
  • Leaves hand-shaped, divided into usually 5 separate leaflets, hairy
  • White flowers 2-4 cm with long (about 2 cm) hairy, pointed sepals
  • Flowers October to February
  • Fields, roadsides and disturbed ground
Don't confuse with: Rock Rosemary Distimake quinquefolius. Also has 5 leaflets and white flowers, but stems and leaves are hairless, sepals are short (3-7 mm) and blunt, and flowers are smaller (1.5-2.5 cm).
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=56
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=20
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical testing of this use was found.

Sources (4)
Erect spiderling (Boerhavia erecta)Erect spiderling (Boerhavia erecta)Erect spiderling (Boerhavia erecta)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; javiperezsoza · CC-BY-NC; javiperezsoza · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Erect spiderling

Boerhavia erecta · hierba blanca, anisillo, escorián, golondrina, hierba del arlomo, maravillita
CautionLab or animal studiesNerves and sleepStomach and digestion
Reported as a drastic purgative (strong laxative).
Used for
  • Used against erysipelas (a skin infection)
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb up to 1 m, upright to sprawling, much branched
  • Leaves opposite, often unequal in size, smooth, with wavy edges, paler underneath
  • Very open, airy flower clusters with tiny whitish (sometimes pink) flowers
  • Fruit 3-4 mm, smooth, ribbed, shaped like a narrow upside-down pyramid
  • Flowers April to November; common along roads and vacant lots
Don't confuse with: Scarlet spiderling Boerhavia coccinea. Scarlet spiderling has pink-red to dark red flowers in compact clusters and sticky, hairy fruits that cling to clothing; erect spiderling has whitish flowers in very open clusters and smooth fruits.
Don't confuse with: Boerhavia intermedia. Smaller fruits (2-3.2 mm) and flowers in more regular umbels.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=117
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=12
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Studies outside Mexico (Burkina Faso) found antimalarial activity in mice and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activity of extract fractions in the lab; none tested erysipelas or epilepsy.

Sources (4)
Fence Post Tree (Gliricidia sepium)Fence Post Tree (Gliricidia sepium)Fence Post Tree (Gliricidia sepium)
Photo: antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Fence Post Tree

Gliricidia sepium · cacahuananche, cocoite, cocuite, madre cacao, matarrata, matarratón
CautionTested in peopleFever and infectionStomach and digestionTraditional healing
Leaves, bark, seeds and roots are used as a rat poison after fermentation; non-ruminant animals have shown poisoning. Do not eat.
The Atlas records the leaf juice, mixed with other plants, used as a permanent human sterilizing agent.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Scabies (its main use), rashes, pimples, skin infections
    BathLeaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 12 m
  • Scaly bark, yellowish-brown to grayish-brown
  • Divided leaves that drop when flowering starts
  • Showy, sweet-smelling clusters of white, pink or lilac flowers
  • Flat yellow-green pods with the seeds showing
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=133
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Meta-analysis of randomized trials in the Philippines: probably no difference in complete clearance versus 5% sulfur (2 trials, 85 people, moderate certainty); no serious adverse events reported.

Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic and hypothermic effects in lab animals.

Sources (8)
Firebush (Hamelia patens)Firebush (Hamelia patens)Firebush (Hamelia patens)
Photo: valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; betootero · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Firebush

Hamelia patens · balletilla, hierba coral, tochomite, trompetilla, chak took´, x-kanan (Maya), imegchichi (Nahuatl)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Pimples and wounds, to heal them and to stop bleeding
    On the skinLeaf, Bark, Flower, Fruit · Macerate or Powder or Bath or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree up to 3 m
  • Thin leaves in groups (whorls) of 3 to 5
  • Red or orange tubular flowers at branch tips
  • Round or oblong fruits, red turning black
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=164
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=36
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies corroborating effectiveness (stem has 15% tannins).

Sources (1)
Gold Medallion (Melampodium divaricatum)Gold Medallion (Melampodium divaricatum)Gold Medallion (Melampodium divaricatum)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Gold Medallion

Melampodium divaricatum · acahual amarillo, mozote amarillo, yerbabuenilla, axihuit (Nahuatl, Puebla)
Traditional usePain and inflammationWomen's healthTraditional healing
Used for
  • Washing and drying wounds
    WashWash
How to recognize it
  • Herb 15 cm to 1 m with hairy stems
  • Rough, pointed leaves with three prominent veins underneath
  • Yellow-orange daisy-like flower heads
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=331
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Antibiotic tests against bacteria, fungi and yeasts were all negative.

Sources (3)
Golden Leather Fern (Acrostichum aureum)Golden Leather Fern (Acrostichum aureum)Golden Leather Fern (Acrostichum aureum)
Photo: jordi_cobiix · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico; jordi_cobiix · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico; nikolett6ttn · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Golden Leather Fern

Acrostichum aureum · helecho de manglar, palmita del río
Lab or animal studies
Used for
  • Rhizome paste used for wound healing (outside Mexico: Malaysia)
    Rhizome · Paste
How to recognize it
  • Very large fern with arching leaves 1 to 3 m long
  • Leaflets usually not overlapping, the lower ones widely spaced and often rounded at the tip
  • On fertile leaves only the top 6 to 12 leaflets carry spore patches underneath
  • Grows in mangrove swamps, salt marshes and along lagoon edges
Don't confuse with: Acrostichum danaeifolium. Giant leather fern has usually overlapping leaflets and spore patches on most leaflets of fertile leaves, not just the top 6 to 12.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

In rabbits, topical leaf and rhizome extracts sped wound contraction; the authors link this to tannins.

Sources (3)
Jamaican Cherry (Muntingia calabura)Jamaican Cherry (Muntingia calabura)Jamaican Cherry (Muntingia calabura)
Photo: ainadanirak · CC-BY-NC; ainadanirak · CC-BY-NC; ainadanirak · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Jamaican Cherry

Muntingia calabura · capulín, capolín, puan, puanito, puguan (Totonac), puam (Tének)
Traditional useStomach and digestionFever and infectionMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Measles: leaf decoction drunk or used in baths, or leaves rubbed on the skin.
    DrunkLeaf · Decoction or Bath or Applied
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree 1-3 m with showy foliage
  • Leaves 4-14 cm, dark green above, whitish below with star-shaped hairs and toothed edges
  • White flowers with many yellow stamens in the center
  • Round berries, green turning red
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=160
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=92
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says the plant lacks pharmacological studies related to its traditional uses; a root extract showed no hypotensive or uterine effect in rats.

Sources (1)
Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; carlos72635 · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Madagascar Periwinkle

Catharanthus roseus · vicaria, flor de vicaria, ninfa, mulata, xmicaria (Maya)
SeriousLab or animal studies
Toxic plant. Eating large amounts can cause vomiting, low blood pressure, hallucinations, seizures, coma and death.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Smallpox and prickly heat (bath with leaf decoction)
    BathLeaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Herb 40-50 cm with watery to milky sap
  • Opposite, glossy oblong leaves with a pale midrib
  • Five-petaled flat flowers, white, pink or white with a red eye, on a long thin tube
  • Paired slender pods
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=51
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The only human evidence concerns cancer drugs made from the plant (the isolated alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine, used against leukemia), not the folk uses listed here; the plant itself is not a home remedy.

Water and ethanol leaf extracts lowered blood sugar in rats and rabbits; one extract had the opposite effect.

Sources (6)
Mexican Plum (Spondias purpurea)Mexican Plum (Spondias purpurea)Mexican Plum (Spondias purpurea)
Photo: vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Mexican Plum

Spondias purpurea · ciruela, ciruelo, ciruelo rojo, ciruela campechiana
Lab or animal studiesKidney and bladderMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Prickly heat (salpullido) and pimples
    WashLeaf, Bark · Wash or Applied
How to recognize it
  • Small tree to 12 m, often with a twisted trunk and low, thick branches
  • Compound leaves of 9-25 small leaflets
  • Small red or pink flowers before the leaves, January to March
  • Plum-like red, purple or yellow fruits with sweet-sour pulp, May to September
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=24
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=97
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A leaf tincture was active only against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) in vitro.

Sources (2)
Mexican Primrose-willow (Ludwigia octovalvis)Mexican Primrose-willow (Ludwigia octovalvis)Mexican Primrose-willow (Ludwigia octovalvis)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Mexican Primrose-willow

Ludwigia octovalvis · clavose, nomunt (Mixe)
Lab or animal studiesKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Skin infections, erysipelas, pimples, boils and mange: leaves warmed and soaked in alcohol; for mange an ointment with lard and sulfur.
    On the skinLeaf, Whole plant · Applied or Ointment
How to recognize it
  • Herb 0.6-1.6 m tall
  • Narrow, elongated leaves about 10 cm long
  • Yellow flowers with four petals and strongly marked veins
  • Cylindrical capsules that open when ripe, with many seeds
  • Grows in wet places
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=187
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=27
What science shows and sources
What science shows

An ethanol extract of the branches was active against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans in the lab.

Sources (1)
Moses-in-the-cradle (Tradescantia spathacea)Moses-in-the-cradle (Tradescantia spathacea)Moses-in-the-cradle (Tradescantia spathacea)
Photo: victorfkur · CC-BY-NC; victorfkur · CC-BY-NC; fieldjay · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Moses-in-the-cradle

Tradescantia spathacea · maguey morado, maguey, magueyito morado, zopilotera, hierba del cáncer, matlali
CautionLab or animal studiesCough, colds and breathingPain and inflammationWomen's healthKidney and bladderStomach and digestion
Sap can irritate skin; eating the plant irritates lips, mouth and throat and may cause nausea, vomiting and stomach pain.
Leaf juice stimulated the uterus in rats; avoid in pregnancy.
A branch extract was toxic to mice by injection.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Sores and wounds: washed with the leaf decoction
    WashLeaf · Wash
How to recognize it
  • Short-stemmed plant with a rosette of overlapping sword-shaped leaves 30 cm or longer
  • Leaves green on top, violet to deep purple underneath
  • Small white flowers tucked inside purple boat-shaped bracts at the leaf bases
Don't confuse with: Purple Heart Tradescantia pallida. Purple heart is a low trailing plant with purple leaves on both sides and pink flowers; maguey morado is an upright rosette of sword-shaped leaves, green on top. Both have irritating sap.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=23
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A flower extract showed slight antibiotic activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis only; ethanol extracts had moderate, non-dose-dependent pain-relieving effect in mice.

Sources (9)
Neem (Azadirachta indica)Neem (Azadirachta indica)Neem (Azadirachta indica)
Photo: rachmunger · CC-BY-NC; rachmunger · CC-BY-NC; rachmunger · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Neem

Azadirachta indica · nim
SeriousTraditional useFever and infectionStomach and digestion
Neem oil is poisonous if swallowed, especially for children: even small doses can cause severe metabolic acidosis and seizures that are hard to stop, with lasting brain damage reported in a 5-year-old. Never give neem oil by mouth or in the nose.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Skin conditions; the oil for dermatitis and fungal infections
    Oil
How to recognize it
  • Evergreen tree 10-20 m
  • Fragrant pinnate leaves
  • Scented white flowers
  • Yellow drupes (small fleshy fruits)
Don't confuse with: Melia azedarach. Paraíso (chinaberry), a related introduced tree, has violet or dark lilac flowers in clusters at the branch tips and round fleshy fruits; its ripe fruits are more poisonous than green ones and have killed people.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=26
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The UNAM Atlas lists antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory activity, without details of the studies.

Sources (5)
Oneleaf Senna (Senna uniflora)Oneleaf Senna (Senna uniflora)Oneleaf Senna (Senna uniflora)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Oneleaf Senna

Senna uniflora · cacahuatillo
Traditional use
Used for
  • Leaf poultices for wounds
    On the skinLeaf · Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Erect annual, simple or branched, up to 1 m
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
Don't confuse with: Coffee Senna Senna occidentalis. Similar size and yellow flowers; coffee senna has feather-like leaves, few-flowered clusters and long flattened pods with many brown seeds that are deadly to children. Senna species are hard to tell apart.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=52
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=24
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a secondary plant-use database records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (3)
Painted spurge (Euphorbia heterophylla)Painted spurge (Euphorbia heterophylla)Painted spurge (Euphorbia heterophylla)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; chasemathey · CC-BY; chasemathey · CC-BY on iNaturalist

Painted spurge

Euphorbia heterophylla · lechero, golondrina, quebranto, noche buena de monte, lechosa, tiriciaxihuitl (Puebla)
CautionLab or animal studiesMouth, teeth and eyesKidney and bladderWomen's health
Toxic when taken internally in animal tests: whole-plant and leaf water extracts killed rabbits and guinea pigs (stomach bleeding and gastritis at autopsy). Do not drink preparations.
Milky spurge sap in the eyes has caused pain, loss of vision, keratoconjunctivitis and uveitis.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Drops of the milky latex put on pimples, ulcers, erysipelas and warts; whole-plant infusion to wash wounds and as a bath for scabies
    On the skinLatex/sap, Whole plant · Sap or latex applied or Wash or Bath
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb up to about 90 cm
  • Leaves very variable in shape on the same plant, from long and broad to narrow
  • Small flowers at the tips of the stems
  • Small dark green capsules
  • Milky latex in stems and leaves
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=99
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=112
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf extracts were laxative in guinea pigs and rats and active against tuberculosis bacteria in the lab; the Atlas says there is little relation between these results and the traditional uses.

Sources (2)
Panama Rubber Tree (Castilla elastica)Panama Rubber Tree (Castilla elastica)Panama Rubber Tree (Castilla elastica)
Photo: skjoldalsted · CC-BY; skjoldalsted · CC-BY; omarmcarmona · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Panama Rubber Tree

Castilla elastica · hule, árbol de hule, caucho, ulli / ulquahuitl (Nahuatl, historical name)
Traditional usePain and inflammation
Used for
  • Skin conditions: drying wounds and sores, healing a newborn's navel, abscesses, pimples.
    On the skinLatex/sap · Sap or latex applied
How to recognize it
  • Medium to tall tree
  • Long leaves 20-45 cm, slightly hairy on the upper side
  • Flowers red or red-orange when mature
  • Fruits about 2 cm long
  • Produces latex (rubber)
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no experimental studies corroborating effectiveness.

Sources (1)
Possum grape (Cissus verticillata)Possum grape (Cissus verticillata)Possum grape (Cissus verticillata)
Photo: carlos2 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; joelgr · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; leonmartinez · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Possum grape

Cissus verticillata · bejuco de sanalotodo, sana todo, tripa de Judas, tripa del diablo, tripa de vaca, uva silvestre
CautionTraditional usePain and inflammationStomach and digestionTraditional healing
The latex irritates the skin and can even raise blisters.
A leaf-and-stem water extract strongly stimulated rat uterus in the lab; avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Boils (granos, tlacotes): leaves cooked on the comal or embers and squeezed over the boil until it bursts, or leaves macerated in alcohol; also wounds, burns, erysipelas.
    On the skinLeaf · Applied or Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Long woody vine climbing over trees
  • Leaves roughly round to heart-shaped
  • Green or yellow-green flowers in small bunches
  • Round or oval fruits, black when ripe, one seed
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=57
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=58
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says there is no direct link between lab-confirmed actions (CNS depressant, slight antibiotic) and the popular uses.

Sources (2)
Provision tree (Pachira aquatica)Provision tree (Pachira aquatica)Provision tree (Pachira aquatica)
Photo: tyler_hoar · CC-BY-NC-ND; ekdelval · CC-BY-NC; ana_ozomahtli · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Provision tree

Pachira aquatica · zapote de agua, palo de agua, apomo, kan pa' (Totonac)
Traditional useStomach and digestionKidney and bladderTraditional healing
Used for
  • Skin conditions (main use): hives, rash in small children, eruptions, scrapes; wound healing
How to recognize it
  • Tree 10-15 m with brown bark
  • Leaves divided into 7-8 leaflets
  • Showy flowers with long cream petals and many red-and-yellow stamens
  • Large roundish capsules up to 22 cm that split into 5 parts
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=31
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=30
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The one test found (fruit-husk decoction in rats) was negative; Atlas: nothing confirms its effects.

Sources (5)
River sage (Salvia misella)River sage (Salvia misella)River sage (Salvia misella)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

River sage

Salvia misella · hierba del cáncer
Traditional usePain and inflammation
Used for
  • Wounds and pimples: dried, ground stems applied after washing with a leaf-and-stem decoction
    On the skinStem, Leaf · Powder or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb up to 60 cm with hairy stems
  • Broad ovate leaves, hairy on both sides
  • Blue two-lipped flowers in spikes
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=1033
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=13
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no historical record and no chemical studies supporting effectiveness.

Sources (4)
Roadside leafbract (Malachra fasciata)Roadside leafbract (Malachra fasciata)Roadside leafbract (Malachra fasciata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Roadside leafbract

Malachra fasciata · mano de muerto, paang-baliwis (Philippines)
CautionTraditional useFever and infection
Sheep fed only this plant developed skin lesions from sunlight sensitivity (photosensitization) after 7 days.
Used for
  • Leaf poultices on ulcers and other sores
    On the skinLeaf · Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Erect, somewhat woody annual herb up to 2.5 m covered in stiff hairs
  • Leaves usually deeply lobed
  • Flowers in heads wrapped by large bracts
  • Flowers white, sometimes a little pink or bluish, never yellow
Don't confuse with: Coffee Senna Senna occidentalis. Shares the name 'mano de muerto' but looks very different: yellow pea-like flowers, feather-like leaves and long pods with brown seeds that are deadly to children.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a Philippine compilation records this use; CONABIO says only that 'some medicinal uses are reported'.

Sources (7)
Sangre de toro (Croton suberosus)Sangre de toro (Croton suberosus)Sangre de toro (Croton suberosus)
Photo: atonaltzin · CC-BY-NC; atonaltzin · CC-BY-NC; atonaltzin · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sangre de toro

Croton suberosus · oreja de tigre
Traditional use
Used for
  • Used for burns
How to recognize it
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=12
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical study of this species for burns was found.

Sources (2)
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
Photo: dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC; dale_denham_logsdon · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sweet potato

Ipomoea batatas · camote, camote morado, camote blanco, batata, camotli (Nahuatl)
Tested in peopleBlood sugar
Used for
  • Compresses of the tubers and aerial parts for 'tumores' (lumps or swellings; the source does not define the term); also eaten as food
    On the skinTuber, Aerial parts · Compress
How to recognize it
  • Creeping perennial vine whose stems root at the nodes and form edible storage roots (tubers)
  • Leaves large, 3-15 cm, heart-based, either whole or shallowly to deeply 3-5-lobed
  • Pink funnel flowers 4-4.5 cm, often with a darker center
  • Usually sets no fruit or seed
  • Mostly found cultivated or escaped near settlements and old fields
Don't confuse with: threefork morning glory Ipomoea trifida. Its closest wild relative, also with pink flowers and 3-lobed leaves, but it climbs by twining instead of creeping and rooting at the nodes, has narrow chaffy sepals, and produces small round capsules (5-7 mm), which sweet potato rarely does.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=92
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A Cochrane review found three small placebo-controlled trials of sweet potato preparations (140 people, all by one author, unclear or high risk of bias) with a small HbA1c drop (-0.3%), and concluded there is insufficient evidence to recommend sweet potato for type 2 diabetes.

In a 12-week trial of 61 diet-treated patients, Caiapo lowered HbA1c from 7.21% to 6.68% versus no change on placebo, and was well tolerated.

No test of the compress use for lumps or swellings was found.

Sources (5)
Tepehuaje (Lysiloma divaricatum)Tepehuaje (Lysiloma divaricatum)Tepehuaje (Lysiloma divaricatum)
Photo: juancarloslopezdominguez · CC-BY-NC; jrebman · CC-BY-NC; jrebman · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tepehuaje

Lysiloma divaricatum · mauto, thujal ts'een, jepalte' (Tének)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Wounds and sores
    Bark
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 12 m
  • Divided, feather-like leaves
  • Small white flowers where leaf meets stem
  • Long, narrow, slightly curved pods
Don't confuse with: Lysiloma acapulcensis. Tepehuaje proper has hairy branches and blackish pods 12-22 cm long.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=17
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=113
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no historical record and no chemical studies supporting its effectiveness.

Sources (5)
Yellow merremia (Camonea umbellata)Yellow merremia (Camonea umbellata)Yellow merremia (Camonea umbellata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Yellow merremia

Camonea umbellata · aguinaldo amarillo, hogvine, yellow merremia, yellow wood rose (English)
Traditional useKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Burns, scalds, sores, pustules and fistulas (outside Mexico: Malaya, Indonesia)
How to recognize it
  • Twining vine, stems usually hairless
  • Leaves triangular to broadly ovate, 1.5-15 cm, unlobed with smooth edges
  • Yellow funnel flowers 3-3.5 cm in umbrella-like clusters of 3 to 20 or more
  • Flowers year-round
  • Disturbed ground and old plantings
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=136
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=30
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical testing of this use was found.

Sources (3)
Asian Spiderflower
Asian Spiderflower

Applied on wounds and ulcers

See full card →
Be-still tree
Be-still treeDeadly

Pimples, boils, blackheads, chronic sores (latex) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Bejuco blanco
Bejuco blanco

Burns

See full card →
Bellyache Bush
Bellyache BushSerious

Outside Mexico (mainly Brazil and Africa): leaf baths as antiseptic, boiled leaves to wash infected wounds, crushed fresh leaves on skin and nose bleeding (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Black Mangrove
Black Mangrove

Healing wounds

See full card →
Buttercup Tree
Buttercup Tree

Burns, scabies, hives (washes)

See full card →
Byttneria aculeata
Byttneria aculeata

Skin conditions

See full card →
Cascabela ovata
Cascabela ovataDeadly

Wounds (latex) and hemorrhoids (sitz baths) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cat's Claw
Cat's ClawSerious

Drawing out embedded thorns (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Chalchupa
ChalchupaDeadly

Warts and wounds (root decoction, leaf infusion); scabies baths; Wounds, stomach inflammation, sores, high blood pressure (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common guava
Common guava

Skin problems (pimples, rash, itching, scabies) washed with the leaf infusion or decoction.

See full card →
Coralbush
CoralbushSerious

Outside Mexico (West Africa, Benin): latex used for serious infected wounds and skin inflammation (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cordia elaeagnoides
Cordia elaeagnoides

Hemorrhoids (washes with stem decoction)

See full card →
Cuachalalate
Cuachalalate

Wounds and sores (wash with bark water, dust with powdered bark)

See full card →
Desert thorn-apple
Desert thorn-appleDeadly

Wounds and ulcers; hemorrhoids. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
False Daisy
False Daisy

Oils against baldness

See full card →
Frangipani / Plumeria
Frangipani / PlumeriaSerious

Removing thorns, bursting boils, warts, ringworm, eczema-like rashes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Guanacaste / Earpod Tree
Guanacaste / Earpod Tree

Pimples and boils on the skin (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Gumbo Limbo
Gumbo Limbo

Wounds (compresses); chechem (Metopium brownei) burns (fresh resin)

See full card →
Hairbrush Cactus
Hairbrush Cactus

Said to heal wounds and sores

See full card →
Jicama
JicamaSerious

Scabies (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Kapok
Kapok

Washing wounds: bark decoction

See full card →
Lime Copal
Lime Copal

Skin problems

See full card →
Lipsticktree
Lipsticktree

Prickly heat, boils; preventing scars, wounds

See full card →
Low rattlebox
Low rattleboxSerious

Erysipelas (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Madras Thorn
Madras Thorn

Washing wounds

See full card →
Marvel of Peru
Marvel of Peru

Boils with pus: boiled, mashed branches applied. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Nance
Nance

Wounds: bark decoction with cedar bark to wash wounds; scabies and pimples

See full card →
Pacific Coast Mahogany
Pacific Coast Mahogany

Wound healing in animals

See full card →
Papaya
PapayaSerious

Pimples, cuts and warts (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Petiolate Fig
Petiolate Fig

Herpes; in Sonora wounds and ulcers.

See full card →
Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba
Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba

Sunstroke: baths with fermented bark

See full card →
Red Mangrove
Red Mangrove

Leprosy, pimples, itching.

See full card →
Sabino
Sabino

Hair rinse for split ends; skin patches (empeines) with lime water

See full card →
Sensitive Plant
Sensitive Plant

Erysipelas and inflammation

See full card →
Sentro
Sentro

Skin diseases

See full card →
Simpleleaf chastetree
Simpleleaf chastetree

Ringworm, leprosy and skin rashes

See full card →
Sleepy Morning
Sleepy Morning

Sores and skin conditions: washes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Southern Cattail
Southern Cattail

Ash of burned green leaves applied to burns (Andalusia, Spain; not recorded for Mexico)

See full card →
Sponge Gourd
Sponge Gourd

Crushed fruit diluted in water to wash the head against lice (Oaxaca); leaf decoction baths for 'gericua', an itchy red rash (Puebla) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Tamarind
Tamarind

Burns: ground leaf applied

See full card →
Tropical blazingstar
Tropical blazingstar

Pimples: ashes of the burned plant applied (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Tropical milkweed
Tropical milkweedSerious

Pimples, warts, skin infections, scabies (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Twoleaf nightshade
Twoleaf nightshade

Green fruits crushed and applied to ringworm (India) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Whitemouth dayflower
Whitemouth dayflower

Wounds and bleeding: the leaf is applied

See full card →
Wide Spikenard
Wide Spikenard

Antiseptic

See full card →
58 plants

Cough, colds and breathing

Cough, flu, asthma, sore throat

Asthma PlantBeach Morning GloryBejuco blancoBougainvilleaBrasiletto / Mexican Logwood+53
Open
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)
Photo: nebrooks · CC-BY; caribeiroo · CC-BY-NC; caribeiroo · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea spectabilis · bugambilia, bugambilea, camelina, jukua (Michoacán)
CautionLab or animal studies
Thorny climbing shrub: the spines can scratch.
Used for
  • Cough, whooping cough, flu, bronchitis and asthma: an infusion of the flowers (bracts), alone or with other plants.
    DrunkFlower · Infusion or Tea
How to recognize it
  • Thorny climbing shrub with dense deep-green foliage
  • Oval leaves
  • Small yellow flowers at branch tips, surrounded by showy purple, orange, pink or white bracts
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Ethanol and water extracts of the flowers were active against Staphylococcus aureus in the lab; no human trial found.

Sources (1)
Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum)Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum)Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum)
Photo: baldemar · CC-BY-NC; baldemar · CC-BY-NC; baldemar · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Breadnut

Brosimum alicastrum · ramón, capomo, ojite, ojoche, mojote, apomo
Traditional useWomen's healthKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Asthma and bronchitis: a diluted tea (Yucatán, Quintana Roo).
    DrunkTea
How to recognize it
  • Large tree 20-40 m tall with brown, scaly bark
  • Milky sap in leaves and stems
  • Leaves longer than wide, leathery, on a short stalk
  • Tiny cream or greenish-white flowers like specks
  • Fruit a green drupe turning yellow or orange when ripe, one seed
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies supporting its effectiveness; a claimed galactogenic effect in new mothers is only an old report.

Sources (1)
Calabash Tree (Crescentia cujete)Calabash Tree (Crescentia cujete)
Photo: ana_ozomahtli · CC-BY-NC; la_mancha_en_movimiento · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Calabash Tree

Crescentia cujete · güiro, jícaro, jícara, cirián, cuatecomate, morro
SeriousLab or animal studies
Eating the fruit pulp can cause severe diarrhea; in rats the pulp induced leukemia-lymphoma tumors; it causes abortion in cattle. Traditionally said to provoke abortion.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Respiratory illnesses such as whooping cough and tuberculosis
    Fruit pulp · Syrup
How to recognize it
  • Tree to 10 m with twisted branches
  • Single spatula-shaped leaves that feel like leather
  • Yellowish-white or greenish flowers with dark purple stripes
  • Round, thick, smooth-shelled fruits 8-30 cm across
Don't confuse with: Jicaro Tree Crescentia alata. Cirián has leaves in threes from one point and smaller fruits (about 15 cm).
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=49
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Stem and leaf extract was antibacterial; leaves were anti-inflammatory in rats.

Sources (5)
Combretum farinosum (Combretum farinosum)Combretum farinosum (Combretum farinosum)Combretum farinosum (Combretum farinosum)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Combretum farinosum

Combretum farinosum · chupamiel, bejuco de carape, carape, peinetillo, peineta, escobetillo
Traditional useKidney and bladderHeart and circulationBlood sugarMouth, teeth and eyes
Used for
  • Cough: the whole plant is boiled and drunk
    DrunkWhole plant · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Climbing shrub or vine with weak stems
  • Oval to slightly elongated, light green leaves
  • Orange, red or greenish-yellow flowers in long, showy comb-like (brush-like) clusters
Don't confuse with: Combretum fruticosum. A close relative also called chupamiel, with the same comb-like flower clusters. The two are hard to tell apart without a botanical key.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=59
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies supporting these uses.

Sources (3)
Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus)Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus)Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coral Vine

Antigonon leptopus · San Miguelito, flor de San Diego, flor de Santiago, San Miguel, santiagosha (Cora), ejtil t´utjub (Tének)
CautionLab or animal studiesFever and infectionWomen's health
Used traditionally to bring on menstruation and to prevent pregnancy, and stimulates the uterus in lab tests: avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Cough and sore throat: tea of branches or roots; the cooked tuber used as a gargle.
    DrunkBranches, Root, Tuber · Tea or Gargle
How to recognize it
  • Vine, small or long, climbing by tendrils
  • Leaves oval or heart-shaped, wrinkled, pale green
  • Pink flowers in elongated sprays like bunches of grapes
  • Elongated fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=338
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=14
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A stem-and-leaf water extract stimulated rat uterus in the lab, which the Atlas says partly supports this use.

Root extract showed no antibiotic activity; no studies on cough or fever found.

Sources (1)
Cuajiote (Bursera grandifolia)Cuajiote (Bursera grandifolia)
Photo: karlos_osorio · CC-BY-NC; styvdejesscalva · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cuajiote

Bursera grandifolia
Traditional use
Used for
  • Bronchitis, influenza, whooping cough, lung infections
How to recognize it
  • Tree with exfoliating (peeling) bark
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
Don't confuse with: Gumbo Limbo Bursera simaruba. Also has smooth red-brown peeling bark and the name palo mulato; sources give no reliable field mark to separate them.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The record says phytochemical and pharmacological studies are scarce; the thesis tested a leaf extract in the lab.

Sources (2)
Guanacaste / Earpod Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)Guanacaste / Earpod Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)Guanacaste / Earpod Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)
Photo: naturazihua-24 · CC-BY-NC; naturazihua-24 · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Guanacaste / Earpod Tree

Enterolobium cyclocarpum · guanacaste, parota, huanacaste, orejón
CautionLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsStomach and digestion
A methanol extract of the fruit pulp killed fish within 3 minutes; the seeds may contain a factor toxic to chickens.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Colds and bronchitis
    Fruit, Gum, Bark · Syrup or Extract
How to recognize it
  • Large tree 30-35 m
  • Leaves divided into very fine feather-like leaflets
  • Creamy-white flower clusters
  • Coiled, ear-shaped pods: blackish, shiny and flat
Don't confuse with: Monkey pod tree Samanea saman. Monkey pod (cenicero) has straight, somewhat fleshy pods 15-20 cm long with sweet pulp, not coiled ear-shaped pods.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=68
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=306
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A methanol stem extract was antibacterial against E. coli and S. aureus in vitro.

Sources (6)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Photo: fglick26 · CC-BY-NC; monika24579 · CC-BY-NC; junchiang829829 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Hibiscus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis · tulipán, obelisco, rehilete, tulipán rojo
CautionTraditional useTraditional healing
Flower extracts were abortifacient and toxic to embryos in mice, and blocked implantation in rats. Do not use in pregnancy.
Flower extract damaged sperm production in male rats.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Cough and whooping cough: flower boiled with other plants, sweetened with honey
    DrunkFlower · Infusion or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 2-3 m with branched stems
  • Long pointed leaves with saw-toothed edges
  • Single large bell-shaped flowers in many colors, where leaf meets stem
Don't confuse with: Turk's cap Malvaviscus arboreus. Also called tulipán, but its red flowers (3-6 cm) stay almost closed, with the stamens sticking out beyond the petals.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: the activities proven experimentally do not match the traditional uses.

Sources (7)
Jicaro Tree (Crescentia alata)Jicaro Tree (Crescentia alata)Jicaro Tree (Crescentia alata)
Photo: yolirolly · CC-BY-NC; uri_c · CC-BY-NC; uri_c · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Jicaro Tree

Crescentia alata · cirián, cuatecomate, tecomate, guaje cirial, jícara, morro
CautionTraditional usePain and inflammationStomach and digestion
The fruit pulp is poisonous to cattle and birds.
One Atlas remedy for pregnancy bleeding mixes the fruit with tlacopatli (Aristolochia argentea), a plant genus that contains aristolochic acid (kidney failure, cancer).
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Cough, asthma, bronchitis: syrup from the fruit pulp (the pulp is poisonous to cattle and birds; see warning)
    DrunkFruit pulp · Syrup or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree to 14 m with light brown, lengthwise-fissured bark
  • Leaves in groups of three from one point
  • Greenish-yellow and purple-brown flowers growing straight from trunk and branches
  • Nearly round fruits about 15 cm across, attached to the trunk
Don't confuse with: Calabash Tree Crescentia cujete. Calabash tree has single spatula-shaped leathery leaves and larger fruits (8-30 cm); its fruit pulp has documented toxicity.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=44
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=125
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas mentions good results of the pulp given to patients with diarrhea, but no controlled trial; it says no experimental data establish safety.

Sources (7)
Mango (Mangifera indica)Mango (Mangifera indica)Mango (Mangifera indica)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; yolcaquixtiani · CC-BY-NC; yolcaquixtiani · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Mango

Mangifera indica · mango criollo, tzapot (Nahuatl, Puebla)
CautionLab or animal studies
Sap and leaves can cause skin rash: a leaf extract caused dermatitis in 25 of 207 people patch-tested.
Used for
  • Cough and other respiratory complaints
    DrunkLeaf, Bark, Seed, Resin · Decoction or Infusion or Syrup
How to recognize it
  • Tree to 20 m with dense spreading crown
  • Hairless leaves 10-20 cm long
  • Large clusters of small greenish-white or yellowish flowers
  • Fleshy, sweet fruit hanging in clusters
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=16
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Seed and leaf extracts were antibiotic against several bacteria; seed extracts acted on Ascaris worms in the lab.

Sources (5)
Noni (Morinda citrifolia)Noni (Morinda citrifolia)Noni (Morinda citrifolia)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Noni

Morinda citrifolia · mora de la India
SeriousLab or animal studiesFever and infectionStomach and digestion
Several cases of liver toxicity have been reported in people who drank noni juice or tea for several weeks; it is unclear whether noni caused them.
High in potassium: people with kidney disease or on potassium-raising, blood-pressure or liver-harming medicines should ask a health care provider first.
Little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Common cold
How to recognize it
  • Small tree 5 to 12 m, outer bark dark, inner bark yellow
  • Large opposite elliptic leaves 12 to 40 cm long
  • White flowers
  • Egg-shaped fruit 5 to 12 cm, green turning white when ripe
  • Planted; flowers and fruits all year
Don't confuse with: Morinda panamensis. Grows in swampy forest and has smaller leaves and fruits.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=10
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=23
What science shows and sources
What science shows

NCCIH: lab studies show antioxidant, antimicrobial and other activity, but noni has not been shown to benefit any health condition in studies of people.

Sources (6)
Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Photo: angel_cruzz · CC-BY-NC; jessyav · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Peacock flower

Caesalpinia pulcherrima · tabachín, clavellino, flor de camarón, barbona, espuela de Santiago, chacaloxóchitl (Nahuatl)
SeriousTraditional useStomach and digestionWomen's health
Eating the leaves or roots can cause severe gastroenteritis; extracts of pods and seeds killed all test mice at 500 mg/kg. The Atlas says its use should be avoided.
Leaf extract stimulated the uterus of pregnant cats; recorded as abortifacient. Avoid in pregnancy.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Cough and other respiratory complaints
    DrunkFlower, Root, Stem, Leaf · Infusion or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree 1-6 m with a thin smooth trunk
  • Leaves divided like feathers
  • Long clusters of red flowers with yellow lines, showy and scented
  • Pods green, turning brown and splitting open
Don't confuse with: Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana Delonix regia. Flamboyán is a much-branched tree up to 12 m with fire-red flowers and pods up to 60 cm; tabachín (C. pulcherrima) is a shrub 1-6 m with red-and-yellow flowers. Both are called tabachín.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=362
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=68
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No test of the cough use found; the Atlas says pharmacological results do not give enough evidence of effectiveness, and antibiotic tests were mostly negative.

Sources (7)
Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata)Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata)
Photo: malvizouri · CC-BY-NC; chepipatricio · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Red Ginger

Alpinia purpurata · jengibre rojo, hawaiana
Traditional use
Used for
  • Boiled flower spike taken by mouth for cough (Trujillo state, Venezuela; no Mexican record found)
    DrunkFlower spike · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tall clump-forming herb 3-4 m high growing from underground rhizomes; stems are formed by leaf sheaths
  • Long, lance-shaped, smooth leaves
  • Showy red flower spike at the tip of the stem, often drooping, up to 90 cm long
  • Small white flowers peeking out from between the red bracts
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No test of the cough use was found; the same review notes a vasodilator effect in rat mesenteric vessels, which is unrelated to the traditional use.

Sources (2)
Scarlet Cordia (Cordia sebestena)Scarlet Cordia (Cordia sebestena)Scarlet Cordia (Cordia sebestena)
Photo: ainadanirak · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Scarlet Cordia

Cordia sebestena · siricote, anacahuita, anacahuite, siricote blanco, k´opte (Maya)
Traditional useStomach and digestionFever and infection
Used for
  • Cough: boiled flowers and fruits as syrup, or bark infusion
    DrunkFlower, Fruit, Bark · Syrup or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree 1-9 m
  • Oval to round leaves, rough like sandpaper above
  • Red-orange trumpet flowers in clusters
  • Small pear-like fruits in bunches; grows on coastal dunes
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=212
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=51
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No chemical or pharmacological studies found by the Atlas.

Sources (3)
Shaving Brush Tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum)Shaving Brush Tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum)Shaving Brush Tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Shaving Brush Tree

Pseudobombax ellipticum · amapola, clavellina, amapola blanca, lele, mokoke, coquito
Traditional usePain and inflammation
Used for
  • Cough and asthma (Yucatán), catarrh (Quintana Roo), flu (Veracruz): flower decoction
    DrunkFlower, Leaf · Decoction or Tea
How to recognize it
  • Tree or shrub up to 30 m with a straight trunk
  • Leaves in groups of 5 roundish leaflets
  • Single flowers where leaves have fallen, with narrow pink or white petals
  • Many pink or white stamens like a shaving brush
  • Large fruits up to 25 cm with 5 sections
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=191
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no pharmacological studies corroborate its effectiveness.

Sources (5)
Spiny Spider-flower (Cleome spinosa)Spiny Spider-flower (Cleome spinosa)Spiny Spider-flower (Cleome spinosa)
Photo: olivia_v · CC-BY-NC; olivia_v · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Spiny Spider-flower

Cleome spinosa · planta araña, pata de mula, mastuerzo, mussambê (Portuguese, Brazil)
Lab or animal studiesFever and infection
Used for
  • Asthma, cough and bronchitis: leaf infusion
    Leaf · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Strong-smelling herb 50–120 cm tall
  • Erect, branched stems with sticky glandular hairs
  • Large leaves divided like fingers into 5–7 narrow leaflets up to 10 cm
  • White to cream (rarely pinkish) flowers 1–2 cm across
Don't confuse with: Asian Spiderflower Cleome viscosa. Cola de rata has yellow flowers and is covered in sticky gland-tipped hairs with a strong medicinal smell; planta araña has white to cream flowers and leaves of 5–7 leaflets.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=36
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=12
What science shows and sources
What science shows

All leaf and root extracts inhibited the bacteria and yeasts tested in vitro; no human testing found.

Sources (5)
Sponge cucumber (Luffa operculata)Sponge cucumber (Luffa operculata)Sponge cucumber (Luffa operculata)
Photo: monserrat_co · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; marce · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; aureliomolinahdz · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Sponge cucumber

Luffa operculata · calabaza estropajo, esponjilla, estropajillo, esponja, estropajo, tzonayotli
SeriousTested: no benefit or harmfulWomen's health
Putting the infusion into the nose often causes irritation, nosebleeds or loss of smell; it damaged airway epithelium in lab tests.
Abortifacient and toxic; a review calls its toxicity profile alarming (reproductive, neurological, tissue toxicity). Never use in pregnancy.
The seeds are a violent purgative.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Dry-fruit infusion inhaled or put into the nose for rhinitis and sinusitis
    InhaledFruit · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Climbing vine to about 3 m with angled stems
  • Kidney- or heart-shaped leaves with 3 to 5 lobes, 10 to 12 cm
  • Small pale yellow flowers (up to 1.5 cm)
  • Plum-sized spiny fruit, gray or dark brown when ripe, fibrous inside
  • Small flat dark brown seeds
Don't confuse with: Sponge Gourd Luffa aegyptiaca. Loofah has large flat flowers (petals 2.5 to 3.5 cm) and long smooth cylindrical fruits 10 to 30 cm; L. operculata has small flowers and small spiny fruits.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Nasal extract improved experimental bacterial sinusitis in animals and inhibited Streptococcus in vitro. A 2025 review describes clinical reports on commercial products, including homeopathic ones, but no controlled trial of the folk nasal tea was found.

The abortifacient effect is the harm: reviews and rat studies describe reproductive toxicity and cucurbitacin content.

Sources (7)
Stinkingtoe (Hymenaea courbaril)Stinkingtoe (Hymenaea courbaril)Stinkingtoe (Hymenaea courbaril)
Photo: alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Stinkingtoe

Hymenaea courbaril · guapinol, cuapinol, huapinol, coapinole, ak pejk (Mixe), tzon te noan (Amuzgo)
Lab or animal studiesStomach and digestionKidney and bladderTraditional healing
Used for
  • Cough (main use), flu and asthma
How to recognize it
  • Large tree up to 30 m with spreading branches
  • Grayish-brown bark
  • Leaves in pairs of two leaflets
  • White, scented flowers at the branch tips
  • Slightly flattened pods 10-18 cm, green to dark brown
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=11
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Stem ethanol extract was antibacterial in vitro; the resin extract was not. A stem decoction was diuretic in rats.

Sources (6)
Sutub (Helicteres baruensis)Sutub (Helicteres baruensis)
Photo: marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA; marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA on iNaturalist

Sutub

Helicteres baruensis · sutup, algodoncillo, tsutsup, suput (Maya)
Traditional useNerves and sleepTraditional healing
Used for
  • Cough and asthma
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 3-4 m
  • Heart-shaped leaves with saw-toothed edges, deep green above, white and very hairy underneath
  • Pale brown, inconspicuous flowers
  • Brown fruits twisted like a corkscrew
Don't confuse with: Coralillo Helicteres guazumifolia. Coralillo has narrow pointed leaves 5-9 cm and red hairy flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=22
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=51
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No pharmacology in the Atlas entry; the Atlas suggests it deserves study.

Sources (3)
Trailing Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata)Trailing Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata)Trailing Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata)
Photo: robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC; robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC; thomas_hartt · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Trailing Daisy

Sphagneticola trilobata
CautionLab or animal studiesWomen's healthStomach and digestion
No information on safety in children, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Used for
  • Bronchitis (expectorant)
    DrunkAerial parts · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Creeping perennial groundcover rooting at the nodes
  • Opposite, stalkless, toothed leaves 2-12 cm, usually with three lobes
  • Single yellow daisy heads on stalks
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=140
What science shows and sources
What science shows

TRAMIL, a Caribbean research network, lists this use; no study details are given here.

Sources (4)
Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)
Photo: jwagner1960 · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Turk's cap

Malvaviscus arboreus · manzanita, tulipán, tulipán de monte, tulipancillo, monacillo, flor de santos
Traditional useStomach and digestionFever and infectionKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Whooping cough (main use): flower decoction; cough and tuberculosis: tea of flowers and leaves
    DrunkFlower, Leaf · Decoction or Tea
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1.5-3 m
  • Leaves wide at the base or heart-shaped, toothed, with star-shaped hairs
  • Red flowers 3-6 cm that stay almost closed
  • Stamens stick out well beyond the petals
Don't confuse with: Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Also called tulipán, but its bell-shaped flowers open fully and come in many colors.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=301
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=33
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no pharmacological information confirms effectiveness and no toxicology studies show it is safe.

Sources (7)
Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; ana_ozomahtli · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Upland Cotton

Gossypium hirsutum · algodón, algodón mexicano, tsokoy k'winim (Tének)
SeriousLab or animal studiesWomen's health
The seeds contain gossypol, a toxic compound; seed in the diet caused weight loss, vomiting, breathing difficulty, anemia and weakness in lab animals.
In men, gossypol stops sperm production; in trials more than 20% did not recover fertility.
Root, flower and whole-plant extracts stimulate the uterus; avoid in pregnancy.
Plant hairs and pigment glands can cause allergic reactions in people.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Cough (its most common use)
    Leaf, Fruit, Seed · Juice or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1.5-2 m with hairy stems and long branches
  • Leaves split into three points
  • Large cream-yellow flowers whose petals turn pink
  • Capsules that split into 3-5 parts and release the cotton fiber
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=40
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=43
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Aqueous extracts of flowers, roots and whole plant stimulated the uterus of pregnant rats and cats.

Sources (7)
Asthma Plant
Asthma Plant

Mentioned for catarrh (colds); historically (Souza, 20th century) for asthma and bronchitis

See full card →
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

Asthma

See full card →
Bejuco blanco
Bejuco blanco

Cough

See full card →
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood

Chest cold

See full card →
Cashew
CashewSerious

Bronchitis and cough; gargle for tonsils (cashew-apple juice) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Fresh leaves smeared with oil or lard used for cough (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coffee Senna
Coffee SennaDeadly

Asthma and cough: syrup of boiled seeds (the seeds are deadly to children; never use them) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common lantana
Common lantana

Colds and whooping cough: branch decoction. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cordia elaeagnoides
Cordia elaeagnoides

Cough and sore throat

See full card →
Coyotomate
Coyotomate

Cough and as an expectorant

See full card →
Crested anoda
Crested anoda

Cough: dried flower decoction; whooping cough: leaf decoction

See full card →
Cuajilote
Cuajilote

Cough (flowers boiled with tejocote)

See full card →
Cudjoewood
Cudjoewood

Asthma, cough and whooping cough (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cypress Vine
Cypress Vine

Catarrh (outside Mexico: Haiti)

See full card →
Desert thorn-apple
Desert thorn-appleDeadly

Asthma. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana
Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana

Cough and bronchial asthma

See full card →
Guinea Hen Weed
Guinea Hen Weed

Flu and colds: leaves and stem mashed in alcohol for rubs.

See full card →
Indian Heliotrope
Indian HeliotropeDeadly

Asthma (root in a mixed decoction) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Mexican Marigold
Mexican Marigold

Cough

See full card →
Monkey pod tree
Monkey pod tree

Seeds chewed for sore throat; bark and leaves for colds

See full card →
Moringa tree
Moringa treeSerious

Cough. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Moses-in-the-cradle
Moses-in-the-cradle

Cough and asthma: leaf juice taken with honey or lime (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Nanchi de perro
Nanchi de perro

Anginas (sore throat, tonsillitis)

See full card →
Papaya
PapayaSerious

Asthma, bronchitis and chest complaints (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Petiolate Fig
Petiolate Fig

Cough, chest pain and phlegm.

See full card →
Querenderenicua
Querenderenicua

Cough

See full card →
Rosary Babybonnets
Rosary Babybonnets

Colds and tuberculosis

See full card →
Scarlet creeper
Scarlet creeper

Catarrh; used to provoke sneezing (outside Mexico: Dominican Republic) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

Colds and bronchitis: oil from the fruit is mixed with balm and castor oil and rubbed on the chest

See full card →
Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood
Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood

Leaves for cough and sore throat

See full card →
Spanish Cedar
Spanish Cedar

Bronchitis and asthma: bark decoction with other plants

See full card →
Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss

Used for bronchitis

See full card →
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia

Cough: resin taken by mouth (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Three-lobe false mallow
Three-lobe false mallow

Flu ('from cold or heat'): leaf decoction

See full card →
Tropical speedwell
Tropical speedwell

Asthma and bronchitis (outside Mexico)

See full card →
Yellow alder
Yellow alder

Used for bronchitis and chest complaints

See full card →
43 plants

Fever and infection

Fever and infections in general

Asian SpiderflowerBeach Morning GloryBitter MelonBlue PeaCastor bean+38
Open
Cochineal Nopal Cactus (Opuntia cochenillifera)Cochineal Nopal Cactus (Opuntia cochenillifera)
Photo: ana_ozomahtli · CC-BY-NC; francisco3_ · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Cochineal Nopal Cactus

Opuntia cochenillifera · nopal, nopal de la cochinilla, nopalillo, alquitira, pak'ak' (Tének, San Luis Potosí)
Traditional useStomach and digestionBlood sugarPain and inflammation
Used for
  • Fever: raw or roasted pads are laid on the stomach
    On the skinPad · Applied
How to recognize it
  • Tree-like cactus 3–4 m tall
  • Flat, light green pads with small spines and yellowish scales
  • Flowers at the tips of the pads, many, with pink stamens
  • Red fruit about 5 cm long
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=75
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=36
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies for this species.

Sources (4)
Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)
Photo: alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; neftali8994 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Gumbo Limbo

Bursera simaruba · palo mulato, chacá, copal, mulato, palo retinto, papelillo
Lab or animal studiesKidney and bladderSkin and woundsStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Bringing down fever: baths, drinks, leaf poultice on the soles
    BathBranches, Leaf · Bath or Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Large tree with smooth, shiny, red-brown bark peeling in thin papery flakes ('tourist tree')
  • Compound leaves of usually 5 leaflets with uneven bases
  • Small cream or pale green flowers in late winter or spring
  • Small fruits maturing from olive green to maroon
Don't confuse with: Cuajiote Bursera grandifolia. Also called palo mulato locally, with peeling bark. Sources give no reliable field mark to separate them; ask an expert.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=12
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=40
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A plant decoction was diuretic in rats; extracts were antispasmodic in guinea-pig ileum; antibiotic tests mostly negative.

Sources (5)
Lipsticktree (Bixa orellana)Lipsticktree (Bixa orellana)Lipsticktree (Bixa orellana)
Photo: uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; uriostegui · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Lipsticktree

Bixa orellana · achiote, achiotillo, palo de achiote, k´uxub (Maya)
CautionLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsStomach and digestion
Listed by the Atlas among uses 'como abortiva' (to cause abortion); decoction stimulated rat uterus. Avoid medicinal use in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Measles (to make the rash come out) and fever
    DrunkSeed · Tea or Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree 2-5 m with smooth brown bark
  • Thin leaves on long stalks, pale underneath
  • Pink or white flowers in clusters
  • Dry pods covered in soft spines; many seeds coated in orange-red pulp
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=27
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=38
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Fruit and seed extracts were antibacterial, antiviral and anti-amoebic in the lab.

Sources (4)
Little ironweed (Cyanthillium cinereum)Little ironweed (Cyanthillium cinereum)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; javier57_vs · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Little ironweed

Cyanthillium cinereum
Lab or animal studies
Used for
  • Malaria, fever and liver diseases
How to recognize it
  • Annual herb up to 1.2 m
  • Flat-topped clusters of many small heads
  • Pink to purple tufted florets, no petals (rays)
Don't confuse with: Emilia sonchifolia. Emilia has much longer, vase-shaped flower bracts.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=39
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A review summarizes mostly lab and animal studies.

Sources (2)
Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea)Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea)Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea)
Photo: isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia rosea · roble, palo de rosa, roble blanco, macuilis, makulis, jo´kab (Maya)
Lab or animal studiesStomach and digestionBlood sugar
Used for
  • Bringing down fever: bath with boiled bark; roasted leaves on the forehead
    BathBark, Leaf · Bath or Applied
How to recognize it
  • Tall tree (to 25 m) with straight, slightly grooved trunk
  • Hand-shaped leaves of 5 leaflets
  • Showy clusters of trumpet flowers, white tube with pink or lilac lobes
  • Long brown pods (about 35 cm) with flat winged seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=395
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=75
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A bark extract slowed malaria parasites in mice; flower and leaf extracts were active only against Staphylococcus aureus.

Sources (4)
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)
Photo: isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tamarind

Tamarindus indica · tamarindo, dátil de la India, palo de tamarindo, tzon terinto (Amuzgo), paj ch'ujuk (Maya)
CautionLab or animal studiesBlood sugarStomach and digestionSkin and wounds
Fruit powder caused a slight allergic reaction on human skin in a patch test.
Used for
  • Fever (its main use): leaves with mezcal rubbed on the body, or baths
    On the skinLeaf, Fruit · Applied or Bath
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 15 m, many branches, rough brown bark
  • Feather-like leaves
  • Clustered yellow flowers with red spots
  • Brown pods with reddish seeds in sour-sweet pulp
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=30
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=38
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Fruit pulp is laxative and inhibits calcium oxalate crystallization in urine (literature cited by the Atlas); fruit extract antibacterial in vitro; aqueous fruit extract strongly diuretic in rats.

Atlas: no studies show an antipyretic action.

Sources (8)
Asian Spiderflower
Asian Spiderflower

Leaves and seeds for infections, fever and headache

See full card →
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

To bring down fever

See full card →
Bitter Melon
Bitter MelonSerious

The flower, cooked with other flowers, is used to bathe children with fever and headache (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Blue Pea
Blue Pea

Fever, inflammation, pain

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Leaves used to bring down fever: a leaf decoction as a bath, or fresh leaves laid on the stomach and feet (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coffee Senna
Coffee SennaDeadly

Fever (its main use): leaf infusion, head washing or baths (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common guava
Common guava

High, continuous fevers: guava tea.

See full card →
Common wild petunia
Common wild petunia

To bring down fever

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Coral Vine
Coral Vine

Fever: tea, or baths with the whole-plant decoction.

See full card →
Crested anoda
Crested anoda

Fever: baths from the knees down

See full card →
Fence Post Tree
Fence Post Tree

Lowering fever (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Gomphrena Weed
Gomphrena Weed

Fever (recorded since the 16th century)

See full card →
Hairbrush Cactus
Hairbrush Cactus

Said to help fever

See full card →
Jamaican Cherry
Jamaican Cherry

High fever: rubs or a full bath with the bark decoction.

See full card →
Jicama
JicamaSerious

Fever (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Mexican Marigold
Mexican Marigold

Fevers

See full card →
Monarch climbing fern
Monarch climbing fern

Fever

See full card →
Neem
NeemSerious

Mild infections and fever (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Noni
NoniSerious

Fevers and bacterial infections (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Paradise Tree
Paradise Tree

Malaria; To bring down fever (recorded for S. glauca)

See full card →
Petiolate Fig
Petiolate Fig

To lower fever (calentura).

See full card →
Philippine spinach
Philippine spinach

Used for measles (outside Mexico: tropical Africa)

See full card →
Quassia
Quassia

Convalescence after fevers. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Roadside leafbract
Roadside leafbract

Roots and leaves for fever

See full card →
Rosary Babybonnets
Rosary Babybonnets

Fever

See full card →
Santa Maria feverfew
Santa Maria feverfewSerious

Fever and neuralgia (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Scarlet Cordia
Scarlet Cordia

Fever (bark infusion)

See full card →
Scarlet creeper
Scarlet creeper

Malaria (outside Mexico: Dominican Republic) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

To bring down fever

See full card →
Sea Grape
Sea Grape

Bark and leaves used for fevers and diarrhea

See full card →
Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood
Sea Hibiscus / Coastal Cottonwood

Root infusion for fevers

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Sleepy Morning
Sleepy Morning

Fever (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Spanish Cedar
Spanish Cedar

Fever: baths with bark decoction; also against susto

See full card →
Spiny Spider-flower
Spiny Spider-flower

Fever: flower infusion

See full card →
Tropical speedwell
Tropical speedwell

Fever (outside Mexico: India)

See full card →
Turk's cap
Turk's cap

Fever

See full card →
White Mangrove
White Mangrove

Fever

See full card →
39 plants

Pain and inflammation

Muscles, joints, headache, toothache

Asian SpiderflowerAvocadoBeach Morning GloryBeach naupakaBrowne's blechum+34
Open
Asian Spiderflower (Cleome viscosa)Asian Spiderflower (Cleome viscosa)Asian Spiderflower (Cleome viscosa)
Photo: pimienta · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; deneb16 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Asian Spiderflower

Cleome viscosa · cola de rata, tabaquillo, frijol cimarrón
Lab or animal studiesSkin and woundsFever and infection
Used for
  • Middle-ear inflammation (otitis media): whole herb
    Whole plant
How to recognize it
  • Roadside weed with yellow flowers
  • Whole plant covered in sticky, gland-tipped hairs
  • Strong medicinal smell when touched
  • Slender, upward-pointing pods, round in cross-section with fine lengthwise ridges
Don't confuse with: Spiny Spider-flower Cleome spinosa. Planta araña has white to cream flowers; cola de rata has yellow flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=139
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=153
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Coumarinolignoids isolated from the plant reduced arthritis, pain, inflammation and yeast-induced fever in rats and mice; no human trial found.

Sources (8)
Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)
Photo: pimienta · CC-BY-NC; santiago_flores · CC-BY-NC; santiago_flores · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Buttonwood

Conocarpus erectus · mangle botoncillo, botoncillo, mangle botón, mangle prieto, mangle cenizo, k'an-che' (Maya)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Home medicine: tea made by boiling the bark, used as a tonic, astringent and anti-inflammatory
    Bark · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree up to 10 m, often with several crooked trunks, near mangroves
  • Simple leaves 3–10 cm, arranged in a spiral on the twig; some plants are silvery-hairy
  • Bark fissured, flaking in thin scales
  • Tiny fragrant flowers in clusters
  • Fruit in brown, round 'buttons' 1–1.3 cm across
Don't confuse with: Manchineel Hippomane mancinella. Manchineel also grows among mangroves. Botoncillo fruit is a small brown 'button' of tiny winged nutlets; manchineel has a green apple-like fruit 3–4 cm across, finely toothed leaves with a small gland at the leaf base, and poisonous milky sap.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=48
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=104
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No test of the traditional use was found; the astringent effect fits the tannin in leaves and bark noted by the same source.

Sources (6)
Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cypress Vine

Ipomoea quamoclit · cambustera, bandera española, cundeamor, trompillo, bejuco estrella, hiedra roja
Traditional useStings and bitesCough, colds and breathingStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Pain relief; breast complaints (outside Mexico: Santal people, India)
How to recognize it
  • Slender, completely hairless twining annual vine
  • Leaves cut to the midrib into 8-15 pairs of thread-like segments (feathery, fern-like)
  • Bright red star-shaped tubular flowers, tube 2-3 cm, face about 2 cm with pointed lobes
  • Egg-shaped beaked capsules 7-9 mm
  • Often planted in gardens and naturalized around villages
Don't confuse with: Scarlet creeper Ipomoea hederifolia. Similar red tubular flowers, but its leaves are broad and heart-shaped or 3-lobed, not feathery.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=102
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical testing of this use was found.

Sources (3)
Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)
Photo: alejandro_mendizabal · CC-BY-NC; alejandro_mendizabal · CC-BY-NC; alejandro_mendizabal · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Flamboyant / Royal Poinciana

Delonix regia · flamboyán, tabachín
CautionTraditional useCough, colds and breathing
An ethanol extract stimulated the uterus of rats in the lab; caution in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Rheumatism: macerated bark applied to the joints
    On the skinBark · Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Much-branched tree up to 12 m
  • Compound leaves 30-50 cm long with 10-25 pairs of leaflets
  • Showy fire-red flowers
  • Pods up to 60 cm long
Don't confuse with: Peacock flower Caesalpinia pulcherrima. Also called tabachín, but a shrub 1-6 m with red flowers lined with yellow; its leaves, roots, pods and seeds are documented as toxic.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=52
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=37
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says the effects tested in the lab are not related to the medicinal uses.

Sources (5)
Frangipani / Plumeria (Plumeria rubra)Frangipani / Plumeria (Plumeria rubra)Frangipani / Plumeria (Plumeria rubra)
Photo: naturazihua-24 · CC-BY-NC; naturazihua-24 · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Frangipani / Plumeria

Plumeria rubra · cacaloxóchitl, cacalosúchil, flor de mayo, flor de cuervo, palo de oído, jacalosúchil
SeriousLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsWomen's health
The caustic milky juice from the trunk is poisonous.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Earache: latex applied locally
    EarLatex/sap · Sap or latex applied
  • Internal blows (bark)
    Bark · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Tree with smooth, shiny bark and thick branches
  • Leaves in tufts at the branch tips
  • Clusters of white, slightly yellowish flowers
  • Long hanging pod-like fruits, green-yellow to green-orange, with winged seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=287
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=61
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A stem extract was analgesic in three mouse models and antispasmodic in guinea pigs.

Sources (4)
Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria alliacea)Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria alliacea)Guinea Hen Weed (Petiveria alliacea)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Guinea Hen Weed

Petiveria alliacea · hierba del zorrillo, epazote de zorrillo, hierba de la gallina, zorrillo, anamú, upisha (Cora)
CautionTested: no benefit or harmfulStomach and digestionCough, colds and breathingMouth, teeth and eyesTraditional healing
The root poultice is said to burn the skin.
The decoction made rat uterine tissue contract in the lab; avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Rheumatism: ground, boiled root as a poultice on the sore area (it is said it can burn the skin); also baths with the leaves.
    On the skinRoot, Leaf · Poultice or Bath
How to recognize it
  • Herb up to 1 m with a strong skunk-like (garlic) smell
  • White flowers spaced along long terminal spikes
  • Fruits greenish to dark brown
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=35
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Anti-inflammatory activity in rats and antibiotic activity in lab tests.

A small one-week double-blind crossover trial (14 patients) found tea of the plant no better than placebo tea for hip and knee osteoarthritis pain.

Sources (2)
Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)
Photo: guadalupe_maganda_silva · CC-BY-NC; cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC; cesaryaelmurillo · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Kapok

Ceiba pentandra · ceiba, ceibo, pochote, pochota, yaxche' (Maya), unup (Tének)
Lab or animal studiesSkin and woundsBlood sugarTraditional healing
Used for
  • Inflammation and swelling: baths with leaf or branch decoction
    BathLeaf, Branches · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Very large tree, up to 40 m
  • Gray to greenish bark
  • Leaves of 7 leaflets clustered at the branch tips
  • Capsules with many seeds wrapped in white silky fiber (kapok)
Don't confuse with: Pochote / Dry-forest Ceiba Ceiba aesculifolia. Pochote is smaller (5-18 m) and has thick spines on the trunk.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=44
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=104
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Bark and leaf ethanol extracts were antibiotic in vitro (B. subtilis, S. aureus).

Negative result: aqueous extracts showed no blood-sugar-lowering effect in rabbits. Not tested in people.

Sources (8)
Lime Copal (Bursera linanoe)Lime Copal (Bursera linanoe)Lime Copal (Bursera linanoe)
Photo: ivanbravormz · CC-BY-NC; ivanbravormz · CC-BY-NC; ivanbravormz · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Lime Copal

Bursera linanoe · linaloe, copal limón, copalcuahitl, xochicopal (Nahuatl)
Traditional useSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Headaches and some neuralgias
How to recognize it
  • Tree 5-8 m in dry deciduous forest on stony slopes
  • Smooth reddish-gray bark
  • Aromatic wood (used for Olinalá boxes)
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Described as empirical use; no lab or human test was found.

Sources (2)
Littlebell (Ipomoea triloba)Littlebell (Ipomoea triloba)Littlebell (Ipomoea triloba)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Littlebell

Ipomoea triloba · campanilla, amole, trompillo, camotillo, is aak'il, mo'ol t'u'ul (Maya)
Traditional use
Used for
  • Headache (outside Mexico: Malaya)
How to recognize it
  • Small twining annual vine
  • Leaves 1.5-8 cm, usually 3-lobed (sometimes 5-lobed or whole), heart-shaped at the base
  • Small pink bell-shaped flowers 1.5-2 cm
  • Round capsules 5-6 mm, usually with bristly hairs
  • Common weed, especially on islands and in the Caribbean
Don't confuse with: Ipomoea grandifolia. The Atlas notes the two may have been confused, and gives no field difference.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=193
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No testing found.

Sources (3)
Marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa)Marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Marvel of Peru

Mirabilis jalapa · maravilla, linda tarde, hoja de Xalapa, tumba vaquero, isha-var (Tepehuan), chuyem (Tének)
CautionTraditional useNerves and sleepSkin and wounds
Toxic effects have been reported in adults who ate the aerial parts, and gastroenteritis in children who ate the plant. The root was historically a drastic purgative.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Inflammation and swellings: washes, compresses or poultices of the boiled branches; root boiled with salt as compresses.
    WashBranches, Root, Leaf · Wash or Compress or Poultice
How to recognize it
  • Branching herb about 80 cm tall with knobby (jointed) stems
  • Leaves longer than wide, sometimes spear-shaped
  • Long, open trumpet-shaped flowers in red, pink, yellow or white
  • Small dry fruits that usually do not open
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=500
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=29
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no studies corroborating effectiveness; extracts showed no antibiotic activity.

Sources (1)
Scarlet creeper (Ipomoea hederifolia)Scarlet creeper (Ipomoea hederifolia)Scarlet creeper (Ipomoea hederifolia)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; roberto_sanchez_rodriguez · CC-BY-NC; roberto_sanchez_rodriguez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Scarlet creeper

Ipomoea hederifolia · frijolillo, trompillo, chak lool, kal p'uul (Maya)
CautionTraditional useCough, colds and breathingFever and infection
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (ipanguline type); this class of alkaloids in Ipomoea is described as highly toxic.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Headache (outside Mexico: Dominican Republic)
How to recognize it
  • Slender twining annual vine
  • Leaves 2-12 cm, usually 3-lobed to about halfway, sometimes just toothed or simply heart-shaped
  • Small red (rarely yellow-orange) tubular flowers, tube 2-4 cm, slightly curved, with stamens sticking out
  • Very short sepals; flower stalks stay upright in fruit
  • Small round capsules 5-7 mm; lowland species
Don't confuse with: Cypress Vine Ipomoea quamoclit. Same red tubular flowers, but leaves are cut into many thread-like segments like a comb or fern.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=139
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No testing of these uses was found.

Sources (5)
Simpleleaf chastetree (Vitex trifolia)Simpleleaf chastetree (Vitex trifolia)Simpleleaf chastetree (Vitex trifolia)
Photo: valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Simpleleaf chastetree

Vitex trifolia · legundi (Malay), manjingzi (Chinese, the fruit)
Traditional useSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Joint and sciatica pain: leaf decoction by mouth
    DrunkLeaf · Decoction
  • Headache, migraine and eye pain (fruit, Chinese medicine); leaf pillows for catarrh and headache
    Fruit, Leaf · Stuffed pillow
How to recognize it
  • Large shrub or small tree, 3-8 m, on coasts
  • Leaves of three elliptical leaflets, silvery-white underneath
  • Small clusters of purple to blue flowers at the stem tips
  • Small round fruits, green turning black
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=21
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A review lists traditional uses. No lab or clinical evaluation of this use was found.

Sources (5)
Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis)Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis)Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis)
Photo: nathantaylor · CC-BY-NC; nathantaylor · CC-BY-NC; nathantaylor · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Southern Cattail

Typha domingensis · tule, espadaña, masa de agua, cola de gato, vela de sabana, beecho, colabecho, peecho, cola-yaquema (Zapotec, Oaxaca)
Traditional useSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Leaf infusion used as an anti-inflammatory (coastal community in Bahia, Brazil; not recorded for Mexico)
    Leaf · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Emergent aquatic herb up to 2.5 m tall, rooted in fresh water of lagoons, marshes, ditches and canals
  • Long strap leaves up to 1.5 m long and 0.8-1.3 cm wide
  • Light brown sausage-shaped flower spike: male spike on top, female spike below, usually separated by a gap of 0.7-5 cm
  • Dark mucilage glands in lines on the inner face of the leaf sheath
Don't confuse with: Typha angustifolia. Very similar; T. domingensis has dark glands on the inner face of the leaf sheath.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=24
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=27
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No lab or clinical study of this use was found.

Sources (3)
White Copal (Bursera fagaroides)White Copal (Bursera fagaroides)White Copal (Bursera fagaroides)
Photo: siruki · CC-BY-NC; siruki · CC-BY-NC; angelromero20 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

White Copal

Bursera fagaroides · copal blanco
Lab or animal studiesStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Inflammation and blows ('hits')
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or tree to 10 m with a swollen trunk
  • Peeling, red-tinged bark
  • Feather leaves of 5-11 leaflets
  • White flowers, sometimes tinged yellow or green; small gray-brown triangular fruit
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=22
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=128
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Bark lignans were cytotoxic and antitumoral in lab and animal studies.

Sources (3)
Avocado
Avocado

Rheumatism: sliced seed in alcohol applied to joints (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

Rheumatism, low-back pain and waist pain

See full card →
Beach naupaka
Beach naupaka

Leaf poultice for headaches and swollen legs

See full card →
Browne's blechum
Browne's blechum

Muscle pain

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Fresh leaves, warmed, placed on the stomach for cramps, colic and inflammation pain; with vinegar as a poultice on the head for headache (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Chalchupa
ChalchupaDeadly

Rheumatism: warm leaves tied as patches on the knees (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cochineal Nopal Cactus
Cochineal Nopal Cactus

Headache and inflammation (preparation not described)

See full card →
Coffee Senna
Coffee SennaDeadly

Headache: head washed with crushed leaves in water (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common Purslane
Common Purslane

Varicose veins and inflammation. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Crateva tapia
Crateva tapia

Inflammation (part and method not recorded)

See full card →
Cuajilote
Cuajilote

Earache

See full card →
Cudjoewood
Cudjoewood

Muscle pain (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Gold Medallion
Gold Medallion

Muscle relaxant

See full card →
Hairy indigo
Hairy indigo

Leaves described as healing and pain relieving (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Indian Heliotrope
Indian HeliotropeDeadly

Swelling; Pain relief; swollen legs (local) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Jicaro Tree
Jicaro Tree

Bruises and blows: fruit pulp as a poultice (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Moses-in-the-cradle
Moses-in-the-cradle

Headache: roasted leaves rubbed with vapor rub are tied on the head (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Panama Rubber Tree
Panama Rubber Tree

Rheumatism and musculoskeletal complaints.

See full card →
Petiolate Fig
Petiolate Fig

To heal fractures.

See full card →
Possum grape
Possum grape

Swelling and inflammation: stem decoction washes or fresh ground leaves as a plaster; rheumatism, bruises.

See full card →
River sage
River sage

Swellings: hot compresses

See full card →
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

Headache and inflammation

See full card →
Shaving Brush Tree
Shaving Brush Tree

Headaches and pain in general

See full card →
Sleepy Morning
Sleepy Morning

Rheumatism (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Tridax Daisy
Tridax Daisy

Reducing swelling: leaves fried in lard as a poultice

See full card →
36 plants

Kidney and bladder

Kidney, bladder, kidney stones

ArrowrootAsthma PlantBeach Morning GloryBejuco blancoBitter Melon+31
Open
Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Beach Morning Glory

Ipomoea pes-caprae · riñonina, bejuco de mar, pata de cabra, batatilla, bejuco de playa, hoja de tortuga
CautionLab or animal studiesPain and inflammationStomach and digestionCough, colds and breathingStings and bitesWomen's healthFever and infection
An ethanol-water extract caused abortion in pregnant rats at 200 mg/kg; avoid during pregnancy.
The leaf and seed contain the indole alkaloid ergotamine.
Used for
  • Kidney ailments, especially kidney inflammation or pain; painful urination (mal de orín); considered a urinary antiseptic
How to recognize it
  • Trailing beach vine with stout runners up to 30 m long that root at the nodes; milky sap
  • Thick, slightly fleshy leaves, round to kidney-shaped, with a notched or two-lobed tip (like a goat's hoof)
  • Pink, funnel-shaped flowers 4-5 cm long
  • Round capsule 1.5-2.2 cm; black, hairy, pea-shaped seeds
  • Grows on coastal dunes and beaches
Don't confuse with: Ipomoea asarifolia. Leaves kidney-shaped without the notched tip, and sepals very unequal and often rough with small bumps.
Don't confuse with: beach morning-glory Ipomoea imperati. Also a beach creeper, but flowers are white with a yellowish tube and leaves are small (1.5-3 cm), often oblong or 3-5-lobed.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=181
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=18
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts neutralized jellyfish venom in vitro and a topical cream reduced venom-induced pain and swelling in mice; a 1970 report of clinical effectiveness is cited secondhand but no controlled human trial was found.

Extract inhibited proteolytic and hemolytic actions of all jellyfish venoms tested (in vitro).

Atlas reports antispasmodic activity in guinea-pig ileum and anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil in rats.

Sources (7)
Cazahuate / Morning Glory Tree (Ipomoea wolcottiana)Cazahuate / Morning Glory Tree (Ipomoea wolcottiana)Cazahuate / Morning Glory Tree (Ipomoea wolcottiana)
Photo: tdhudgins · CC-BY-NC; tdhudgins · CC-BY-NC; tereso_hernandez · CC-BY on iNaturalist

Cazahuate / Morning Glory Tree

Ipomoea wolcottiana · cazahuate, casahuate, acotope, palo bobo, quiebra platos, casahuate rasposo
Traditional use
Used for
  • Kidney inflammation (renitis)
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 13 m with a trunk to 30 cm and milky sap
  • Ovate, pointed leaves 4-15 cm, heart-shaped to straight at the base
  • Large white funnel flowers 5-6 cm with a dark red throat, hanging singly or in small groups; reported to open at night
  • Smooth ellipsoid capsules about 2 cm; seeds with long hairs on the edges
  • Dry deciduous forest at low elevations (50-900 m)
Don't confuse with: Ipomoea murucoides. Also called cazahuate; its stems are covered in white woolly hairs and its leaves are longer and narrower (lance-shaped, 9-20 cm). It grows mostly higher up (600-2600 m). The Atlas reports cattle that eat it become addicted and malnourished, sometimes fatally.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=32
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No test of this use found; lab work on flower resin glycosides found no antibacterial activity alone but they boosted antibiotics against resistant bacteria in vitro (unrelated to the kidney use).

Sources (6)
Cuajilote (Parmentiera aculeata)Cuajilote (Parmentiera aculeata)Cuajilote (Parmentiera aculeata)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; betootero · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cuajilote

Parmentiera aculeata · cuajiote, chote, pepino de monte, guachilote, cuaxilotl (Nahuatl)
CautionTraditional useCough, colds and breathingPain and inflammation
Leaf bases carry two spines.
Used for
  • Kidney pain, urinary stones, painful urination; diuretic
    DrunkFruit, Root, Bark, Flower · Tea or Eaten or Extract or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Tree 4-15 m
  • Leaves of 5 light green leaflets on a winged stalk, with 2 spines at the base
  • Greenish-cream flowers growing straight from the trunk
  • Long cucumber-like yellow-green fruits 20-30 cm, edible
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=33
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=58
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Root and fruit extracts did not lower blood sugar in mice (negative animal test; no human trial found).

The Atlas found no experimental data confirming any action.

Sources (5)
Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia (Acacia cochliacantha)Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia (Acacia cochliacantha)Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia (Acacia cochliacantha)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cubata / Boat-spine Acacia

Acacia cochliacantha · cubata
CautionTraditional useStomach and digestionStings and bites
Spoon-shaped spines on the twigs.
Used for
  • Kidney pain, cystitis and urethritis
    Branches · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree up to about 4.5 m
  • Feathery leaves made of many small leaflets
  • Showy spines shaped like little spoons on the twigs
  • Yellow flowers like small balls
  • Flat pods about 10 cm long
Don't confuse with: Sweet acacia Vachellia farnesiana. Huizache has white or whitish spines 1-5 cm long, not spoon-shaped, and very fragrant yellow flower balls.
Don't confuse with: Bullhorn acacia Vachellia cornigera. Cornezuelo has large horn-shaped spines that ants live in.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=48
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=26
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no pharmacological studies supporting its effectiveness.

Sources (6)
Tropical speedwell (Evolvulus alsinoides)Tropical speedwell (Evolvulus alsinoides)Tropical speedwell (Evolvulus alsinoides)
Photo: thomas_hartt · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tropical speedwell

Evolvulus alsinoides · pico de pájaro, ojo de víbora, yerba de la pastora, ojitos azulitos, ojitos azules, xia xiiw, jaway (Maya)
Lab or animal studiesFever and infectionCough, colds and breathingStomach and digestionNerves and sleep
Used for
  • Gonorrhea
How to recognize it
  • Small, slender perennial herb, stems 6-50 cm, usually rising, loosely hairy
  • Small leaves 0.8-2.2 cm, elliptic to lance-shaped, without lobes
  • Tiny flat pale-blue (or white) flowers 0.7-1 cm across on thread-like stalks 2.5-5 cm long, single or in pairs
  • Flowers most of the year (February to December)
  • Dry, rocky and disturbed open ground
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=274
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Listed among Indian herbs reviewed for experimental and clinical evidence in cognitive impairment; no controlled human trial of this species was found.

A review reports wound-healing activity for E. alsinoides (experimental).

Sources (5)
Arrowroot
Arrowroot

Unable to urinate: boiled bulbous root eaten

See full card →
Asthma Plant
Asthma Plant

Mentioned for the kidneys (preparation not specified)

See full card →
Bejuco blanco
Bejuco blanco

Kidney pain and painful urination (mal de orín); genitourinary disorders

See full card →
Bitter Melon
Bitter MelonSerious

Branch decoction drunk when urine is retained (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood

Kidneys and mal de orín

See full card →
Breadnut
Breadnut

Kidney ailments (mal de orín), with corn silk.

See full card →
Combretum farinosum
Combretum farinosum

Kidney, lung and heart complaints: boiled leaves taken by mouth

See full card →
Common Reed
Common Reed

As a diuretic.

See full card →
Coyotomate
Coyotomate

Kidney pain

See full card →
Gumbo Limbo
Gumbo Limbo

Kidney ailments (leaf decoction)

See full card →
Hairbrush Cactus
Hairbrush Cactus

Urinary antiseptic: the flower is boiled and the liquid drunk

See full card →
Indian Heliotrope
Indian HeliotropeDeadly

Kidney stones; also high triglycerides (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Japanese morning glory
Japanese morning glory

Seeds used to promote urine flow in fluid retention (outside Mexico: Chinese medicine; the seeds are listed as poisonous) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Jicama
JicamaSerious

Kidney pain or gout (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Mexican Plum
Mexican Plum

Diuretic, kidney stones

See full card →
Mexican Primrose-willow
Mexican Primrose-willow

As a diuretic.

See full card →
Moringa tree
Moringa treeSerious

Painful, difficult urination (mal de orín). (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Moses-in-the-cradle
Moses-in-the-cradle

Kidney pain: leaf tea (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Painted spurge
Painted spurge

Latex from stems and leaves, left out in the night air and rubbed, used as a urinary antiseptic; also for urinary complaints (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Provision tree
Provision tree

Kidney complaints

See full card →
Purple scalystem
Purple scalystem

Kidney pain, painful urination, cystitis

See full card →
Querenderenicua
Querenderenicua

Mal de orín

See full card →
Sabino
Sabino

Painful urination (mal de orín)

See full card →
Sandpaper tree
Sandpaper tree

For kidney inflammation the stem is soaked and the liquid drunk as tea; also for 'tiricia' and hepatitis

See full card →
Siam weed
Siam weed

Urine retention (infusion with other plants)

See full card →
Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss

Used for the kidneys

See full card →
Stinkingtoe
Stinkingtoe

Kidney inflammation, in a mixed decoction

See full card →
Turk's cap
Turk's cap

Kidney disease, mal de orín, diuretic

See full card →
West Indian Elm
West Indian Elm

Kidney disease: ripe fruit ground in sugared water (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Whitemouth dayflower
Whitemouth dayflower

Pus in the urine: root infusion

See full card →
Yellow merremia
Yellow merremia

Blood in the urine (outside Mexico: Philippines)

See full card →
22 plants

Blood sugar

Diabetes

Anglestem Indian MallowBitter MelonBlue PeaBromelia karatasButtercup Tree+17
Open
Anglestem Indian Mallow (Abutilon trisulcatum)Anglestem Indian Mallow (Abutilon trisulcatum)Anglestem Indian Mallow (Abutilon trisulcatum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; valjala81 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Anglestem Indian Mallow

Abutilon trisulcatum · pelotazo
Traditional use
Used for
  • Diabetes
How to recognize it
  • Grooved stems (three furrows)
  • Fruit made of exactly 5 segments
  • Flower sometimes, not always, with a purple or red spot in the center
  • Sometimes forms large stands along roadsides
Don't confuse with: Abutilon. Other Abutilon species lack the grooved stem and have fruits with more than 5 segments.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=39
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=41
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Single report cited by CONABIO (Martínez 1979); no test found.

Sources (4)
Bromelia karatas (Bromelia karatas)Bromelia karatas (Bromelia karatas)Bromelia karatas (Bromelia karatas)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bromelia karatas

Bromelia karatas · piñuela, chiyol, chicipo, aguama, cazuela
CautionLab or animal studies
Thick leaves with sharp teeth along the edges.
Used for
  • Controlling blood sugar: decoction of the leaves
    Leaf · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Ground bromeliad (tropical herb) forming a rosette
  • Long, thick leaves with sharp teeth along the edges
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=65
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Water and water-alcohol leaf extracts lowered blood sugar in diabetic rats; no human trial found.

Sources (3)
Common Reed (Phragmites australis)Common Reed (Phragmites australis)Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
Photo: douggoldman · CC-BY-SA; douggoldman · CC-BY-SA; douggoldman · CC-BY-SA on iNaturalist

Common Reed

Phragmites australis · carrizo
Traditional useKidney and bladder
Used for
  • Diabetes: root infusion.
    Root · Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Reed 1-3 m with straight, unbranched, jointed stems
  • Long thin leaves with tiny teeth on the edges
  • Small yellowish or pinkish flowers in much-branched plumes
  • Grows in water and marshes
Don't confuse with: Giant reed Arundo donax. Arundo is taller (to 5 m) with broad ribbon-like leaves clasping the stem.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=60
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no historical information or experimental studies validating its use.

Sources (2)
Philippine spinach (Talinum fruticosum)Philippine spinach (Talinum fruticosum)Philippine spinach (Talinum fruticosum)
Photo: yolirolly · CC-BY-NC; uri_c · CC-BY-NC; uri_c · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Philippine spinach

Talinum fruticosum · espinaca de Filipinas, verdolago francés, hoja de agua, quelite
CautionLab or animal studiesFever and infection
Leaves are high in oxalic acid; people with kidney problems (kidney stones), gout or rheumatoid arthritis are advised to avoid or limit eating it. Cooking removes about half of the soluble oxalate. It also contains nitrates and nitrites, so care is advised when feeding it to babies.
Used for
  • Used for diabetes (outside Mexico: tropical Africa and India)
    Whole plant
How to recognize it
  • Erect herb 30-100 cm tall
  • Broad, fleshy (succulent) leaves
  • Small pink flowers
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=42
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 2026 review reports preclinical activities (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-ulcer, antimicrobial, wound healing, anti-diarrheal) and says there is not enough clinical-trial evidence for diabetes.

Sources (5)
Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)
Photo: jonathananas · CC-BY-NC; juda25 · CC-BY-NC; juda25 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Prickly Pear

Opuntia ficus-indica · nopal, nopal de castilla, tuna de castilla, tuna de campo, tuna mansa, nopalli (Nahuatl, Morelos)
CautionTested in peopleStomach and digestion
May lower blood sugar; people with diabetes, especially on medication, should watch for low blood sugar.
Not enough reliable information on medicinal use in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Used for
  • Diabetes: the pad is blended and drunk, or eaten raw with lime or cooked as a salad
    DrunkPad · Juice or Eaten
  • Listed among the most-used medicinal plants for diabetes and cholesterol
How to recognize it
  • Branching cactus up to 5 m tall, dull green
  • Flat pads with small bumps (areoles) and few yellow spines
  • Yellow or orange flowers 7–10 cm across
  • Sweet fruit (tuna), greenish, red or purple
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=126
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=181
What science shows and sources
What science shows

In 14 people with type 2 diabetes, adding steamed nopal to a high-carbohydrate breakfast gave a lower blood glucose area under the curve than the breakfast alone; a small, short-term study.

Sources (6)
Salpianthus arenarius (Salpianthus arenarius)Salpianthus arenarius (Salpianthus arenarius)Salpianthus arenarius (Salpianthus arenarius)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; javiperezsoza · CC-BY-NC; pcarreyes · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Salpianthus arenarius

Salpianthus arenarius · hoja de lagarto, catarina, catarinilla, apasique, susucua, achuchuca
Lab or animal studies
Used for
  • Used for diabetes (high blood sugar)
  • Listed among Mexican plants used to treat diabetes
    Leaf
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or semi-woody plant 1-5 m tall, much branched
  • Unusual for its family: leaves alternate, egg- to diamond-shaped, 3-8 cm, bright green and finely hairy
  • Flowers in dense clusters 1-2 cm long; the flower tube is reddish-green, 6-7 mm, hairy and sticky
  • Stamens stick far out of the flower
  • Grows on sandy soils near the coast and disturbed dry-forest sites
Don't confuse with: Salpianthus purpurascens. Its flower tube is bell-shaped and only 2-3.5 mm, with more hooked hairs; S. arenarius has a 6-7 mm tube without hooked hairs.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=26
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 1997 doctoral thesis, cited in a review, reported blood-sugar-lowering activity; a close relative, S. macrodonthus, lowered the glucose-tolerance curve 15% in rabbits; no human trial found.

A compound from the flowers (salpantiol) acted like a parasympathetic stimulant on rat intestine; root/stem extract inhibited Staphylococcus aureus in a lab test.

Sources (5)
Bitter Melon
Bitter MelonSerious

Leaves combined with avocado leaves as a tea drunk for diabetes; also reported to lower blood sugar (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Blue Pea
Blue Pea

Diabetes

See full card →
Buttercup Tree
Buttercup Tree

Diabetes: bark steeped in water left out in the night air

See full card →
Cashew
CashewSerious

Diabetes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Cochineal Nopal Cactus
Cochineal Nopal Cactus

Diabetes (preparation not described)

See full card →
Coffee Senna
Coffee SennaDeadly

Diabetes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Combretum farinosum
Combretum farinosum

Diabetes: the sap is sucked directly from the stem

See full card →
Common Purslane
Common Purslane

Diabetes. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Kapok
Kapok

Diabetes: bark decoction drunk

See full card →
Macaw palm
Macaw palm

Diabetes: root infusion

See full card →
Pink Trumpet Tree
Pink Trumpet Tree

Diabetes, malaria, typhoid, parasites (cooked bark)

See full card →
Pond Apple
Pond Apple

Diabetes

See full card →
Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss

Used for diabetes

See full card →
Sweet potato
Sweet potato

Blood sugar control (as a commercial extract of white-skinned sweet potato, 'Caiapo'; use comes from Japanese and Austrian trials, not Mexican tradition)

See full card →
Tamarind
Tamarind

Diabetes: pulp dissolved in water without sugar

See full card →
White leadtree
White leadtree

Diabetes (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
3 plants

Heart and circulation

Blood pressure, heart, circulation

Brasiletto / Mexican LogwoodByttneria aculeataCombretum farinosum
Open
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood (Haematoxylum brasiletto)Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood (Haematoxylum brasiletto)Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood (Haematoxylum brasiletto)
Photo: alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood

Haematoxylum brasiletto · palo de brasil, palo Brasil, brasil, palo de tinta, palo tinto, azulillo
CautionLab or animal studiesNerves and sleepKidney and bladderCough, colds and breathing
Branches carry hard spines 1-3 cm long.
Used for
  • Blood pressure, heart complaints, 'purifying the blood'
    DrunkHeartwood, Bark, Wood · Macerate or Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Tree 7-15 m
  • Branches with hard spines 1-3 cm
  • Bark light brown to reddish; heartwood very dark brown to deep red
  • Opposite leaves divided into six leaflets
  • Showy clusters of yellow flowers; flat pods that do not split open
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=60
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=25
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Heartwood and stem extracts were antibacterial in vitro (Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Brucella, Shigella). No test of the blood-pressure use found.

Sources (6)
Byttneria aculeata (Byttneria aculeata)Byttneria aculeata (Byttneria aculeata)Byttneria aculeata (Byttneria aculeata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Byttneria aculeata

Byttneria aculeata · zarza, rabo de iguana, zarzamora, garabato, x-tekax, yaxkisil (Maya)
CautionTraditional useSkin and woundsStomach and digestionWomen's health
Prickly climbing shrub; most other Byttneria species lack the prickles.
Used for
  • 'Purifying the blood': root decoction
    DrunkRoot · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Climbing shrub with green bark and prickles on the stem
  • Broad leaves narrowing to a point
  • Small pink flowers shaped like little umbrellas
  • Small brown fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=14
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: therapeutic uses not validated experimentally.

Sources (5)
Combretum farinosum
Combretum farinosum

Heart complaints: boiled leaves taken by mouth

See full card →
48 plants

Women's health

Menstruation, childbirth, postpartum, breastfeeding

ArrowrootAvocadoBeach Morning GloryBejuco blancoBitter Melon+43
Open
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)
Photo: jcgarcia · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; luz_parga · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; ximenahual · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Arrowroot

Maranta arundinacea · sagú, sagú de monte, platanillo, chaak (Maya), tsakam tdulup (Tének)
Traditional useKidney and bladderStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Regulating menstruation: boiled root as tea
    DrunkRoot · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Slender, upright, much-branched plant about 1 m with thick rhizomes
  • Long leaves a bit like small banana leaves, about 20 cm, wrapping the stem
  • White flowers on long thin stalks
  • Small fruits about 1 cm
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=47
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no experimental studies.

Sources (4)
Bejuco blanco (Ipomoea bracteata)Bejuco blanco (Ipomoea bracteata)Bejuco blanco (Ipomoea bracteata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bejuco blanco

Ipomoea bracteata · empanadas, flor de la empanada, candelaria, flor de la candelaria, bejuco de la Candelaria, jícama de monte
Traditional useCough, colds and breathingSkin and woundsKidney and bladderStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Inflammation of the womb and vaginal discharge
    DrunkFlower · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Woody vine climbing or trailing to 7 m, often leafless when in flower
  • Heart-based, ovate to triangular leaves 2-8 cm
  • Showy pink (rarely greenish) bracts 2-4.5 cm wrap each narrow tubular flower, like a shower of pink paper
  • Flowers in the dry season
  • Small conical capsules 6-10 mm
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=261
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas states no chemical or pharmacological studies were found that support its effectiveness.

Sources (4)
Catstongue (Priva lappulacea)Catstongue (Priva lappulacea)Catstongue (Priva lappulacea)
Photo: alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Catstongue

Priva lappulacea · mozote, cadillo, cadillo de bolsa, coyol de ratón, pega-pega, pegajosa
Traditional use
Used for
  • Used to prevent miscarriage (recorded as tradition, not as advice)
How to recognize it
  • Short-lived or perennial herb under 1 m, stems somewhat square and grooved
  • Opposite, oval leaves up to 12 cm long, with short hooked hairs underneath
  • Narrow spikes up to 15 cm of small tubular flowers, white, pale purple, blue or pale pink
  • Fruit enclosed in an inflated calyx covered with hooked hairs that sticks to clothing; splits into 2 parts with rows of short thick spines
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=169
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=49
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Listed in a 2023 review of Mexican reproductive-health plants with no lab or clinical testing cited for this species.

Sources (2)
Coralillo (Helicteres guazumifolia)Coralillo (Helicteres guazumifolia)Coralillo (Helicteres guazumifolia)
Photo: jessyav · CC-BY-NC; jessyav · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Coralillo

Helicteres guazumifolia · tornillo, guasimilla, panelita, pie de pájaro, barrenillo, ñiñuja (Veracruz)
CautionTraditional useStomach and digestion
Recorded as a contraceptive and for permanent sterility; not to be used by anyone pregnant or wanting to conceive. No safety studies found.
Used for
  • Contraceptive (Guerrero); permanent sterility (Veracruz); expelling the placenta (Puebla)
How to recognize it
  • Shrub 1-3 m covered in star-shaped hairs
  • Narrow pointed leaves 5-9 cm with small teeth on the edges
  • Red hairy flowers
  • Hairy fruits 2-3 cm with star-shaped hairs
Don't confuse with: Sutub Helicteres baruensis. Sutub has heart-shaped leaves that are white and very hairy underneath and pale brown inconspicuous flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=38
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=31
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Atlas: no history of use or experimental studies to define effectiveness. Leaves contain alkaloids.

Sources (5)
Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus)Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus)Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Jicama

Pachyrhizus erosus · jícama
SeriousTraditional useKidney and bladderSkin and woundsFever and infection
The seeds are toxic: seed powder given to dogs caused breathing and heart problems and eventually death, plus severe vomiting. Only the root is food.
Contains rotenone, mainly in the seed, which can be toxic to people and domestic animals at high concentrations.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Contraceptive
How to recognize it
  • Creeping or climbing vine up to 5 m
  • Thick, swollen milky-white root (the jícama)
  • Leaves of 3 broad leaflets, pointed at the tip
  • Flowers in clusters at the branch ends; leathery pods, brown when dry
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=24
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas cites old literature in which doctors used a seed tincture for scabies; no controlled study was found, and the seeds are toxic.

Sources (5)
Sentro (Centrosema pubescens)Sentro (Centrosema pubescens)Sentro (Centrosema pubescens)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Sentro

Centrosema pubescens · gallitos
Traditional useSkin and wounds
Used for
  • Postpartum: pods cooked in a peppered soup for womb cleansing (outside Mexico; recorded as tradition, not as advice)
    DrunkPod · Soup
How to recognize it
  • Twining herbaceous vine
  • Leaves of three leaflets
  • Showy lilac flowers with dark violet stripes or blotches
  • Long narrow pods with prominent edges
Don't confuse with: Centrosema plumieri. C. plumieri has a large, rather flat pod more than 1.2 cm wide with two thickened ribs on each side.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a secondary plant-use compilation records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (5)
Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata)Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata)Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; soulbiol · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Siam weed

Chromolaena odorata · cruz dulce grande, tokaban, tok´aban, xtok´aban (Maya)
Traditional useKidney and bladderTraditional healing
Used for
  • Puerperal fever: bath and hot compresses with boiled branches
    BathBranches · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Shrub to about 2.5 m with long branches
  • Leaves longer than wide with toothed edges
  • Creamy flower heads at the branch tips
  • Sweet-smelling fruits
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=1060
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=88
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Lab activities found (antibacterial, liver-protective) are unrelated to the traditional uses, per the Atlas.

Sources (3)
Stinking Passionflower (Passiflora foetida)Stinking Passionflower (Passiflora foetida)Stinking Passionflower (Passiflora foetida)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Stinking Passionflower

Passiflora foetida · pepe, t´usku´ (Tabasco), pok´ pok´ (Tének)
Traditional use
Used for
  • To prevent miscarriage (Puebla); also used after childbirth (Oaxaca). Recorded as tradition, not as advice.
    WashLeaf, Vine, Flower · Decoction or Wash
How to recognize it
  • Climbing herb with coiled tendrils
  • Leaves on 6 cm stalks, with three points, the middle one longest
  • Flowers white to pink, lilac or purple
  • Fruit globose, enclosed in a basket-like cage, red when ripe
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=541
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=249
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Flowers given to rats did not affect egg implantation; the Atlas found no studies corroborating effectiveness.

Sources (1)
Tridax Daisy (Tridax procumbens)Tridax Daisy (Tridax procumbens)Tridax Daisy (Tridax procumbens)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tridax Daisy

Tridax procumbens · hierba del toro
Lab or animal studiesPain and inflammation
Used for
  • After childbirth, regulating menstruation and during the postpartum period
    DrunkRoot · Decoction
How to recognize it
  • Low herb 15-50 cm with stems sprawling on the ground, rooting at nodes
  • Opposite, coarsely toothed leaves, rough with stiff hairs, sometimes 3-lobed
  • Single flower heads on long stalks (10-20 cm), pale yellow or creamy white rays
  • Common on dunes and disturbed ground
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=541
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=166
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf juice sped wound healing in rats, guinea pigs and rabbits; the Atlas says this does not match the recorded folk uses.

Sources (5)
Tropical blazingstar (Mentzelia aspera)Tropical blazingstar (Mentzelia aspera)Tropical blazingstar (Mentzelia aspera)
Photo: roberto_sanchez_rodriguez · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Tropical blazingstar

Mentzelia aspera · pega pega, pegarropa, amor seco, pegajosa, thekw'em ts'ojol (Tének)
CautionLab or animal studiesStomach and digestionSkin and wounds
Root taken in pulque was recorded as 'purging violently'. Do not take by mouth.
Strong effects on the uterus in animal tests; avoid in pregnancy.
Covered in rough bristles that stick to clothes and skin.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Fertility; difficult childbirth and expelling the placenta
    DrunkAerial parts, Branches, Root · Decoction or Infusion
How to recognize it
  • Herb 30-60 cm covered in rough bristles and small hairs that stick
  • Leaves wider than long with projections on the edges
  • Yellow star-shaped flowers
  • Capsules with blackish seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=90
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=21
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Extracts had a very strong uterine-relaxing effect in animal experiments; antiviral activity in vitro.

Sources (5)
Avocado
Avocado

Menstrual cramps and childbirth: leaf decoction (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Beach Morning Glory
Beach Morning Glory

Vaginal inflammation

See full card →
Bitter Melon
Bitter MelonSerious

Listed against 'pasmo de mujer' (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Breadnut
Breadnut

Infertility, low breast milk and regulating menstruation.

See full card →
Bullhorn acacia
Bullhorn acacia

Leaves to promote labor; bark for vaginal bleeding

See full card →
Buttercup Tree
Buttercup Tree

Stopping bleeding, including after miscarriage or childbirth

See full card →
Byttneria aculeata
Byttneria aculeata

Emmenagogue (to bring on menstruation)

See full card →
Castor bean
Castor beanDeadly

Fresh leaves placed on the belly against labor pains; leaves with hot embers to warm a woman after childbirth (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coconut Palm
Coconut Palm

Vaginal bleeding and discharge (washes), menstrual disorders

See full card →
Common guava
Common guava

Postpartum baths with branch and leaf decoction.

See full card →
Common lantana
Common lantana

Vaginal or menstrual bleeding and discharge; late periods; temazcal baths before and after birth (Otomí). (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Coral Vine
Coral Vine

Flower decoction drunk to bring on menstruation; root decoction to avoid pregnancy.

See full card →
Cuachalalate
Cuachalalate

Vaginal washes for infection and postpartum complaints

See full card →
Cudjoewood
Cudjoewood

Colic and menstrual pain (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Frangipani / Plumeria
Frangipani / PlumeriaSerious

Vaginal bleeding (flower wash); to bring in breast milk (flower tea) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Giant reed
Giant reed

Postpartum baths with the leaf decoction and other herbs.

See full card →
Gold Medallion
Gold Medallion

Postpartum baths

See full card →
Gomphrena Weed
Gomphrena Weed

White discharge or vaginal bleeding (washes, tea)

See full card →
Haba
HabaDeadly

One ingredient in multi-herb decoctions for delayed menstruation; also recorded as abortive (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Monarch climbing fern
Monarch climbing fern

Menstrual problems, vaginal discharge; postpartum vaginal steam baths

See full card →
Moses-in-the-cradle
Moses-in-the-cradle

After childbirth: roasted leaves used to 'settle the womb' (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Pacific Coast Mahogany
Pacific Coast Mahogany

Heavy bleeding after childbirth

See full card →
Painted spurge
Painted spurge

Historically (18th century) wet nurses drank a flower infusion to increase milk (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Peacock flower
Peacock flowerSerious

Recorded as an abortifacient (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Petiolate Fig
Petiolate Fig

To regulate menstruation.

See full card →
Pigeonberry
Pigeonberry

Relapse after childbirth (cachán): temazcal baths with a decoction of several plants including this one.

See full card →
Purple scalystem
Purple scalystem

Menstrual cramps, vaginal infections, childbirth

See full card →
Querenderenicua
Querenderenicua

Regulating menstruation

See full card →
Red Mangrove
Red Mangrove

Heavy periods; regulating menstruation.

See full card →
Sandpaper tree
Sandpaper tree

Bark is one ingredient of a multi-plant preparation for female infertility (Guerrero)

See full card →
Sensitive Plant
Sensitive Plant

Tea against miscarriage bleeding; also reported as contraceptive

See full card →
Sponge cucumber
Sponge cucumberSerious

Popularly used to induce abortion (recorded as a harm, not a remedy) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia

Vaginal bleeding: root boiled with cornezuelo (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Three-lobe false mallow
Three-lobe false mallow

Vaginal washes

See full card →
Trailing Daisy
Trailing Daisy

Menstrual pain

See full card →
Upland Cotton
Upland CottonSerious

Aid in childbirth and menstrual problems (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
West Indian Elm
West Indian Elm

Bleeding after childbirth, irregular or painful menstruation (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Whitemouth dayflower
Whitemouth dayflower

Postpartum baths with the whole-plant decoction

See full card →
11 plants

Nerves and sleep

Nerves, anxiety, sleep

Blue PeaBrasiletto / Mexican LogwoodErect spiderlingMamoaMarvel of Peru+6
Open
Blue Pea (Clitoria ternatea)Blue Pea (Clitoria ternatea)Blue Pea (Clitoria ternatea)
Photo: valjala81 · CC-BY-NC; ekdelval · CC-BY-NC; ekdelval · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Blue Pea

Clitoria ternatea · azulejo
Traditional useFever and infectionBlood sugar
Used for
  • Traditional supplement to enhance memory and cognition
How to recognize it
  • Perennial leguminous herb
  • Pea-shaped flowers, vivid blue
  • Narrow, flat pods with pointed tips, about 10 seeds
  • Pinnate compound leaves
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=120
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A review describes many lab studies of extracts. No clinical trial of this use was found.

Sources (6)
Mamoa (Erythroxylum mexicanum)Mamoa (Erythroxylum mexicanum)Mamoa (Erythroxylum mexicanum)
Photo: marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA; marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA; marumg · CC-BY-NC-SA on iNaturalist

Mamoa

Erythroxylum mexicanum · escobillo, acotillo, ocotillo
Traditional use
Used for
  • Used in the State of Mexico against insomnia, as a sedative and as a stimulant
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree to 6 m
  • Grayish-white branches and bark
  • Oval leaves 2 to 7 cm, crowded at branch tips
  • Flowers clustered in the leaf axils
  • Fruits green, turning reddish when ripe
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=14
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies supporting the use.

Sources (2)
Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)
Photo: davidruizdominguez · CC-BY-NC; gaby_vazquez · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Sensitive Plant

Mimosa pudica · dormilona, vergonzosa, vergonzoso, hojas dormilón, xmumuts' (Maya, Quintana Roo)
CautionLab or animal studiesWomen's healthSkin and wounds
Leaf extract blocked implantation of the fertilized egg in pregnant rats; avoid in pregnancy.
Stems have strong, curved spines.
Used for
  • Insomnia, as a sleep aid or sedative
    InhaledLeaf, Stem, Flower · Decoction or Bath
How to recognize it
  • Erect herb about 60 cm with strong, curved spines
  • Small feather-like leaves on a long stalk that fold up when touched
  • Pink flowers like little puffballs
  • Flat pods in clusters
Don't confuse with: Water Dead-and-Awake Neptunia plena. Water dead-and-awake has no spines and has yellow, petal-like stamens in its flower heads.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=42
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Ethanol extract was antibiotic against S. aureus; an aqueous extract lowered blood sugar in rabbits.

Sources (8)
Twoleaf nightshade (Solanum diphyllum)Twoleaf nightshade (Solanum diphyllum)Twoleaf nightshade (Solanum diphyllum)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Twoleaf nightshade

Solanum diphyllum · amatillo
CautionLab or animal studiesStomach and digestionSkin and wounds
Listed as poisonous; the orange berries are eaten by birds but it is not known whether they are harmless to people, and eating them is not advised. Do not confuse with the edible tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica).
Most Solanum species contain toxic alkaloids that can cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness and respiratory depression (genus-level warning).
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Reported in Mexico as a calming remedy (recorded only in a plant nursery catalog)
How to recognize it
  • Small shrub 1-2 m tall with smooth, dark brown bark
  • Leaves in unequal pairs from one bud: a larger elliptic leaf (about 6 x 2 cm) and a smaller rounded one (about 2 x 1 cm), glossy dark green above
  • Clusters of 5-20 tiny white flowers with a lavender tinge, about 1 cm across, opposite the leaves
  • Round berries about 1.2 cm, green and hard when young, ripening bright yellow to orange, on long thin stalks
Don't confuse with: Solanum pseudocapsicum. Jerusalem cherry, another ornamental nightshade with bright berries, is sometimes confused with it; the paired unequal leaves of S. diphyllum are the clearest mark. Neither should be eaten.
Don't confuse with: Physalis philadelphica. The edible tomatillo shares the name 'tomatillo'; tomatillo fruits are green and covered by a green husk, while S. diphyllum berries ripen yellow-orange with no husk.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Test-tube studies report a cytotoxic steroidal alkaloid from the roots and enzyme-inhibition and antibacterial activity; none tests the traditional uses listed here.

Sources (5)
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood
Brasiletto / Mexican Logwood

Nervousness that 'affects the heart'

See full card →
Erect spiderling
Erect spiderling

Used for epilepsy and other nervous conditions

See full card →
Marvel of Peru
Marvel of Peru

Epileptic attacks or convulsions: infusion of flowers and leaves. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Mexican Marigold
Mexican Marigold

Insomnia and nerves

See full card →
Pigeonberry
Pigeonberry

Nerves from worry or fright: the decoction is drunk.

See full card →
Sutub
Sutub

Convulsions

See full card →
Tropical speedwell
Tropical speedwell

Brain tonic for memory (outside Mexico: Ayurvedic 'shankhpushpi', India)

See full card →
28 plants

Mouth, teeth and eyes

Gums, teeth, eyes

Beach naupakaBullhorn acaciaCallingcard vineCascabela ovataCombretum farinosum+23
Open
Beach naupaka (Scaevola taccada)Beach naupaka (Scaevola taccada)Beach naupaka (Scaevola taccada)
Photo: viridelao · CC-BY-NC; motmot11 · CC-BY-NC; deneb16 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Beach naupaka

Scaevola taccada · boto (Philippines)
Traditional useStomach and digestionPain and inflammation
Used for
  • Ripe fruit juice used to clear clouding (opacities) of the eyes
    EyeFruit · Juice
How to recognize it
  • Large spreading shrub with a stout stem
  • Leaves crowded at the branch tips, oval and widest near the tip, 12-25 cm
  • White flowers tinged purple, about 2.5 cm
  • Flower tube split to the base down one side
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=87
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=17
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Only a Philippine compilation records this use; no lab or clinical test was found.

Sources (5)
Crateva tapia (Crateva tapia)Crateva tapia (Crateva tapia)Crateva tapia (Crateva tapia)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; admid · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Crateva tapia

Crateva tapia · perihuete, penguete, zapotillo, tres marías, tres hojitas, chilcohuitl (Veracruz)
CautionTraditional usePain and inflammation
Avoid in pregnancy: a leaf extract strongly stimulated the uterus in a laboratory test.
Used for
  • Toothache from a decayed molar: dried bark of the trunk or fruit rind is ground to powder and applied to the tooth
    Mouth rinseBark, Fruit rind · Powder
How to recognize it
  • Tree 7–20 m tall
  • Leaves divided into 3 leaflets, dark green above, paler below, pointed
  • Round, hard fruit with seeds inside
Don't confuse with: Manchineel Hippomane mancinella. Both can be called 'beach apple'. Crateva leaves are split into 3 leaflets; manchineel leaves are single, finely toothed, with a small gland where the leaf meets the stalk, and its apple-like fruit is green turning yellowish and only 3–4 cm across. Do not eat or touch an unknown 'apple' on the beach.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=121
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=31
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No test of these uses found; in lab tests the bark extracts relaxed smooth muscle and lowered blood pressure in a cat, and a leaf extract strongly stimulated isolated rat uterus.

Sources (6)
Cudjoewood (Bonellia macrocarpa)Cudjoewood (Bonellia macrocarpa)Cudjoewood (Bonellia macrocarpa)
Photo: leo_borree · CC-BY-NC; leo_borree · CC-BY-NC; leo_borree · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Cudjoewood

Bonellia macrocarpa · sic-quete (Guerrero), rosalina, palo santo, flor de niño, barbasco, tuliviejo
CautionTraditional useStomach and digestionCough, colds and breathingPain and inflammationWomen's health
Roots, leaves and fruits soaked in water are used as a fish poison (barbasco) to stun fish; no human toxicity data found, so do not eat any part.
Stiff leathery leaves end in a sharp spine.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Toothache; mouth sores
How to recognize it
  • Shrub or small tree 2 to 8 m with gray or black bark
  • Stiff, leathery leaves 5 to 10 cm that end in a sharp spine
  • Red or orange flowers in small clusters, strongly and pleasantly scented
  • Round fruits 3 to 4 cm, green turning yellow or orange
  • Dry areas at low elevation near the coast
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=90
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=96
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas says no chemical or pharmacological studies supporting effectiveness were found.

Sources (8)
Giant reed (Arundo donax)Giant reed (Arundo donax)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; gborn · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Giant reed

Arundo donax · carrizo, cañaveral, carrizo de sol, pakaab (Tének)
Lab or animal studiesStings and bitesWomen's healthTraditional healing
Used for
  • Irritated eyes: washed with the water from the young shoots.
    EyeYoung shoots · Wash
How to recognize it
  • Giant grass 1-5 m with hollow stems
  • Long ribbon-like leaves clasping the stem, with fine hairs
  • Numerous yellowish or violet flowers in plumes
Don't confuse with: Common Reed Phragmites australis. Phragmites is shorter (1-3 m) with unbranched straight stems and leaf edges with tiny teeth; Arundo reaches 5 m with broad ribbon-like leaves.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=10
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=15
What science shows and sources
What science shows

An ethanol extract was antibacterial and a rhizome extract antispasmodic in lab tests; many other tested activities were negative.

Sources (2)
Jacaratia mexicana (Jacaratia mexicana)Jacaratia mexicana (Jacaratia mexicana)Jacaratia mexicana (Jacaratia mexicana)
Photo: vicente47506 · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC; alex_nava_hernandez · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Jacaratia mexicana

Jacaratia mexicana · bonete, papaya orejona, cuaguayote, jacoretia, papaya de monte, k'uumche' (Maya)
Traditional useStomach and digestion
Used for
  • Mouth ulcers (aftas) and to keep pus from building up
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 10 m with a thick trunk and smooth gray bark
  • Leaves on very long stalks, divided into 3–7 leaflets joined at one point, the middle one largest
  • Pale yellow flowers, slightly hairy inside
  • Fleshy, roundish fruit 13–18 cm long with small round seeds
Don't confuse with: Papaya Carica papaya. Papaya leaves are a single large, deeply cut blade crowded at the top of the trunk; bonete leaves are split into separate leaflets.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=74
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no chemical or pharmacological studies supporting these uses.

Sources (3)
Bullhorn acacia
Bullhorn acacia

Mouth sores (fuegos): pod skin applied

See full card →
Callingcard vine
Callingcard vine

Eye infections

See full card →
Cascabela ovata
Cascabela ovataDeadly

Toothache: latex or ground seed put in the decayed tooth (the seeds are poisonous; a close relative has killed children with one or two seeds) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Combretum farinosum
Combretum farinosum

Eye infections: the sap is applied to the eye

See full card →
Crested anoda
Crested anoda

Mouth sores

See full card →
Cuachalalate
Cuachalalate

Toothache, firming gums, mouth sores

See full card →
Desert thorn-apple
Desert thorn-appleDeadly

Toothache; ear complaints. (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Guinea Hen Weed
Guinea Hen Weed

Toothache and tooth extraction.

See full card →
Indian Heliotrope
Indian HeliotropeDeadly

Infected gums (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Jamaican Cherry
Jamaican Cherry

Oral thrush (algodoncillo): the bark is rubbed on the area.

See full card →
Madras Thorn
Madras Thorn

Sap drops for 'nube en el ojo' (clouding of the eye)

See full card →
Mexican Plum
Mexican Plum

Mouthwash for mouth sores and firming teeth

See full card →
Moonflower
Moonflower

Eye wash (collyrium) (outside Mexico: Samoa)

See full card →
Nance
Nance

Tightening the gums

See full card →
Painted spurge
Painted spurge

Latex used as a mouth rinse ('buches') for mouth sores (fogajes); do not swallow it, the plant is toxic taken internally (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Pond Apple
Pond Apple

Blisters and sores in the mouth

See full card →
Red Mangrove
Red Mangrove

Toothache.

See full card →
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

Bleeding after a tooth is pulled

See full card →
Spanish Cedar
Spanish Cedar

Toothache

See full card →
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia

Mouth sores and loose teeth (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Tropical milkweed
Tropical milkweedSerious

Decayed, aching teeth: latex applied to the tooth (the latex is poisonous; do not swallow it) (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
White Mangrove
White Mangrove

Mouth sores (aftas)

See full card →
Whitemouth dayflower
Whitemouth dayflower

Eye problems such as conjunctivitis and tired or infected eyes: the flower cluster is applied to the eyes

See full card →
28 plants

Traditional healing

Susto, mal de ojo, aire, limpias

AvocadoChalchupaCommon guavaCommon wild petuniaCrested anoda+23
Open
Dotleaf Waterlily (Nymphaea ampla)Dotleaf Waterlily (Nymphaea ampla)Dotleaf Waterlily (Nymphaea ampla)
Photo: isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC; isa_moguel · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Dotleaf Waterlily

Nymphaea ampla · flor de agua
CautionTraditional use
Described in the literature as a narcotic (mind-altering) plant; do not eat or drink preparations of it.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Historical: the white water lily appears in ancient Maya art and is interpreted by researchers as a ritual narcotic used by a priestly caste to reach trance. This is ancient ritual use, not a current home remedy.
    Ritual useFlower
How to recognize it
  • Floating water lily of ditches, canals and ponds
  • Round to egg-shaped floating leaves 15-45 cm, green on top, purple and often spotted underneath
  • Leaf edges toothed to spiny-toothed (a key mark)
  • White flowers 7-18 cm across with many yellow stamens, held above the water, opening by day
  • Flowers all year
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=953
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The case rests on iconography and chemistry; a review of pre-Columbian hallucinogens lists the water lily among plants used for psychoactive effects. No study of effects in people was found.

Sources (4)
Pata de gallo (Operculina pinnatifida)Pata de gallo (Operculina pinnatifida)Pata de gallo (Operculina pinnatifida)
Photo: chasemathey · CC-BY; chasemathey · CC-BY; chasemathey · CC-BY on iNaturalist

Pata de gallo

Operculina pinnatifida · trompillo, gallinita, ombligo de criatura, güirote de Michoacán, aak' k'oon tin k'iin (Maya), shicalmecat
Traditional use
Used for
  • People with hemorrhoids carry the black seeds in their pockets to ease the pain
    Ritual useSeed · Carried (ritual)
How to recognize it
  • Vine to 6 m or more
  • Leaves deeply cut into 5-9 lobes spreading like a chicken's toes (hence 'pata de gallo')
  • Large all-white flowers with spirally twisted anthers; flower stalks slightly winged
  • Sepals enlarge around the fruit; papery capsule 1.2-2 cm with four large hard black seeds
  • Flowers May to October in pastures, scrub and roadsides
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=130
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=38
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Amulet-like use; no testing found or expected.

Sources (2)
Pigeonberry (Rivina humilis)Pigeonberry (Rivina humilis)Pigeonberry (Rivina humilis)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; gabrielitha_garcia · CC-BY-NC; gabrielitha_garcia · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Pigeonberry

Rivina humilis · bajatripa, coralillo, coral, chilillo, hierba del susto, hierba mora roja
Traditional useWomen's healthNerves and sleep
Used for
  • Espanto (fright illness): leaves crushed in raw water, strained and drunk; also mal viento and limpias.
    DrunkLeaf · Macerate
How to recognize it
  • Branching herb 70-90 cm
  • Elongated, pointed leaves
  • Small white flowers in clusters at branch tips
  • Fleshy berries green to bright red, the seed sunk in the pulp
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=207
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=162
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas found no pharmacological studies; it notes a 16th-century report that it causes visual hallucinations.

Sources (1)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Photo: fredy51928 · CC-BY-NC; huracan · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; club_ciencia_eekiloobkaan · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Spanish Cedar

Cedrela odorata · cedro, cedro rojo, ik'te' (Tének), k'uyche (Maya), puksni (Totonac)
CautionLab or animal studiesCough, colds and breathingFever and infectionMouth, teeth and eyes
Recorded as an abortifacient (stem tea); avoid in pregnancy.
Used for
  • Ritual use in limpias
    Ritual useLimpia (ritual cleansing)
How to recognize it
  • Tree up to 35 m
  • Bark scaly and fissured, gray-brown to red-brown
  • Feather-like divided leaves
  • Small cream-green, lightly scented flowers
  • Brown fruits in clusters that split open, each with about 30 winged seeds
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=37
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The Atlas reports anti-asthmatic activity of the resin in people but gives no study details. A leaf-and-stem extract lowered blood pressure in dogs.

Sources (7)
Avocado
Avocado

Susto, mal aire, limpias and mal de ojo: leaves in the bundle used to 'sweep' the patient (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Chalchupa
ChalchupaDeadly

Pasmo and 'cabeza abierta' (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Common guava
Common guava

Treatment of susto (Mixe, Totonac, Zapotec).

See full card →
Common wild petunia
Common wild petunia

Mal de ojo in children

See full card →
Crested anoda
Crested anoda

Chipilez (a child's illness when the mother is pregnant again): warm bath with the macerated plant

See full card →
Fence Post Tree
Fence Post Tree

Limpias for vergüenza or mal aire, with cross-shaped branches; baths for quemada (netlatilli) among the Nahua of the Huasteca (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Giant reed
Giant reed

House-renewal ritual at New Year: stem pieces with aguardiente placed in the corners and center of the house (Huastec).

See full card →
Gold Medallion
Gold Medallion

Susto: baths with this and other plants

See full card →
Gomphrena Weed
Gomphrena Weed

Espanto (fright)

See full card →
Guinea Hen Weed
Guinea Hen Weed

Mal de ojo, spells, mal de aire; susto (Zapotec, Mixe, Totonac).

See full card →
Hibiscus
Hibiscus

Flowers placed on the church altar in thanks for a cure; used in healer initiation ceremonies (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Kapok
Kapok

Susto: full bath with leaf decoction

See full card →
Madras Thorn
Madras Thorn

Whole-body baths for frialdad, with other plants

See full card →
Mexican Marigold
Mexican Marigold

Espanto, mal aire and susto

See full card →
Plantain
Plantain

Planted over the buried placenta after a birth.

See full card →
Possum grape
Possum grape

Espanto and pasmo.

See full card →
Provision tree
Provision tree

Mal de aire

See full card →
Santa Maria feverfew
Santa Maria feverfewSerious

Mal aire: one of the herbs in a 'barrida' (cleansing sweep) with an egg (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond
Sea Almond / Tropical Almond

Susto, to 'bring back the shadow' of the sick person (Guerrero)

See full card →
Siam weed
Siam weed

Mal aire (boiled roots)

See full card →
Sponge Gourd
Sponge Gourd

In Hidalgo the fruit is rubbed along a child's spine against 'cuichi', described as a worm that runs under the skin (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
Stinkingtoe
Stinkingtoe

Espanto: Amuzgo healers burn the bark resin around an egg in place of copal

See full card →
Sutub
Sutub

Speech difficulty in children: fruit dipped in water placed in the child's mouth

See full card →
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia

Mal de ojo: crushed, soaked leaves applied to the woman who was 'ojeada' (Poisonous plant: tradition, not advice.)

See full card →
10 plants

Other plants to handle with care

No documented medicinal use, but worth knowing: these can irritate, sting or poison.

Agave infiernilloensisBread and cheeseBush Morning GloryDurban CrowfootGolden Trumpet+5
Open
Agave infiernilloensis (Agave infiernilloensis)Agave infiernilloensis (Agave infiernilloensis)Agave infiernilloensis (Agave infiernilloensis)
Photo: caja_de_zicuiran · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; caja_de_zicuiran · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; elrayman210 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Agave infiernilloensis

Agave infiernilloensis
Caution
Agave sap is rich in calcium oxalate needle crystals (raphides) that cause an irritant rash, as shown for Agave americana; leaf tips and edges can be spiny.
How to recognize it
  • Agave rosette of thick succulent leaves
What science shows and sources
Sources (1)
Bread and cheese (Paullinia pinnata)Bread and cheese (Paullinia pinnata)Bread and cheese (Paullinia pinnata)
Photo: ananuno · CC0 · elsewhere in Mexico; alexiz · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; huracan · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Bread and cheese

Paullinia pinnata · bejuco de costilla, barbasco, bejuco de paloma
Caution
All parts contain alkaloids (timbonine) and saponins; the stems are used as a fish poison. Do not eat.
How to recognize it
  • Woody climbing vine with a 3- or 6-ribbed stem and forked tendrils
  • Twigs with milky sap
  • Leaves of 5 glossy, leathery leaflets with toothed edges; leaf stalk and midrib are winged
  • Small white flowers in spikes
  • Capsules 2 to 4 cm turning red, seeds with a white aril at the base
Don't confuse with: Paullinia fibrigera. Its leaflet edges are smooth or only slightly toothed.
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Bush Morning Glory (Ipomoea carnea)Bush Morning Glory (Ipomoea carnea)Bush Morning Glory (Ipomoea carnea)
Photo: robertomartinez97 · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Bush Morning Glory

Ipomoea carnea · amapola rosa, casahuate rosa, quiebraplato, borrachera, palo santo de castilla, flor de la mañana
Caution
Poisonous to grazing animals: cattle, sheep and goats that keep eating it lose weight, stagger, shake their heads and can die. The toxins are the alkaloids swainsonine and calystegines.
In pregnant rats its toxic principle crossed the placenta and harmed the pups.
Listed as a poison plant (India).
How to recognize it
  • Bushy shrub to 4 m, often in clumps, with stout hollow stems (the common garden form is upright)
  • Large heart-shaped leaves 8-20 cm with a long tapering tip, grayish-downy when young
  • Pink funnel flowers 6-7 cm
  • Seeds woolly with very long hairs on the angles
  • Widely planted as an ornamental; in Mexico most plants are probably cultivated or recently escaped
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=84
What science shows and sources
Sources (4)
Durban Crowfoot (Dactyloctenium aegyptium)Durban Crowfoot (Dactyloctenium aegyptium)Durban Crowfoot (Dactyloctenium aegyptium)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Durban Crowfoot

Dactyloctenium aegyptium · pata de pollo, pata de gallo, zacate egipcio, chimes-suuk (Maya)
Caution
Forage grass that at some times of year can contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides (a livestock concern; no human case found).
How to recognize it
  • Short-lived grass up to 50 cm, spreading from the base by short runners into radial mats
  • Narrow pointed leaf blades up to 7 cm long and 7 mm wide
  • At the stem tip, a whorl of 2 to 5 spikes up to 4 cm long, like a bird's foot
  • Each spike ends in a short spine-like point
Don't confuse with: Eleusine indica. CONABIO lists it as a look-alike (spikes from one point) but gives no field test; Dactyloctenium spikes are short (up to 4 cm) and end in a spine-like tip.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=17
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=21
What science shows and sources
Sources (3)
Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; jwagner1960 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Golden Trumpet

Allamanda cathartica
Caution
Sap irritates skin and eyes; eating large amounts is toxic (purgative). Low severity.
How to recognize it
  • Sprawling evergreen vine or shrub with milky sap
  • Glossy, leathery leaves in whorls of four
  • Large golden-yellow trumpet flowers in clusters
  • Prickly pods with winged seeds
Don't confuse with: Be-still tree Cascabela thevetia. Yellow oleander is a shrub or tree (not a vine) with narrow willow-like leaves and smooth fruits that turn black; deadly.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=15
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Gronovia scandens (Gronovia scandens)Gronovia scandens (Gronovia scandens)Gronovia scandens (Gronovia scandens)
Photo: zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Gronovia scandens

Gronovia scandens · chichicaste
Caution
Stinging plant: usually covered in stinging (urticating) hairs. Touching it can sting and inflame the skin.
How to recognize it
  • Climbing herb several meters long, without tendrils
  • Rough to the touch, usually with stinging hairs
  • Leaves on long stalks, about as wide as long, irregularly 3-5 lobed, heart-shaped base
  • Pale green showy sepals that look like petals; small whitish to yellow petals
Don't confuse with: Apodanthera undulata, Sicyos microphyllus. These climbers look similar overall but have tendrils and do not sting.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=96
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida)Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida)Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida)
Photo: froyce · CC-BY-NC; lunajaffe · CC-BY-NC; reginacoeli15 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Purple Heart

Tradescantia pallida · cohitre morado, reina púrpura, suelda con suelda, niña en barco, hierba del pollo
Caution
Sap and leaves can cause skin redness and irritation (contact dermatitis); eating it irritates the mouth and stomach. Low severity.
How to recognize it
  • Low, trailing plant with thick, fleshy, fragile purple stems that root at the nodes
  • Pointed leaves 10–15 cm, reddish-purple on both sides, folded like a trough
  • Pink to pale purple three-petaled flowers about 2.5 cm across at the stem tips
Don't confuse with: Whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta. Shares the name 'hierba del pollo'. Commelina erecta has green leaves and blue flowers in a leaf-like fold; purple heart is purple all over with pink flowers.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=60
What science shows and sources
Sources (5)
Smooth Agave (Agave desmetiana)Smooth Agave (Agave desmetiana)Smooth Agave (Agave desmetiana)
Photo: rachmunger · CC-BY-NC; rachmunger · CC-BY-NC; taniaortega · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Smooth Agave

Agave desmetiana
Caution
Agave sap is rich in calcium oxalate needle crystals (raphides) that cause an irritant rash, as shown for Agave americana; leaf tips and edges can be spiny.
How to recognize it
  • Rosette up to about 1.2 m across and 1 m tall
  • Smooth, bright green arching leaves
  • Small teeth or sharp reddish-brown spines along the edges
What science shows and sources
Sources (3)
Southern Swamp Crinum (Crinum americanum)Southern Swamp Crinum (Crinum americanum)
Photo: marcofuentes · CC-BY-NC; marcofuentes · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Southern Swamp Crinum

Crinum americanum
Caution
Bulb lily with alkaloids: eating it may cause nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
How to recognize it
  • Wetland lily growing from a bulb, 60-90 cm
  • Long strap-like leaves straight from the bulb
  • 2-6 fragrant white spidery flowers with narrow back-curved petals and long purple stamens, on a reddish leafless stalk
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=78
What science shows and sources
Sources (3)
Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Photo: soulbiol · CC-BY-NC; zihuadean · CC-BY-NC; antonio_perez2 · CC-BY-NC on iNaturalist

Water Lettuce

Pistia stratiotes
Caution
Poisonous if eaten: intense burning and swelling of lips, tongue and throat (calcium oxalate crystals).
How to recognize it
  • Floating freshwater plant in dense mats
  • Rosette about 25 cm wide of spongy, velvety, deeply ribbed lime-green leaves, whitish beneath
  • Tiny flowers hidden in the center of the rosette
What science shows and sources
Sources (2)
Not yet recorded nearby

Used here, but not yet on the local record

People here use these plants, but no one has logged them on iNaturalist within 25 km of the village. A photo taken here would add them to the record.

Aloe vera (sábila)EpazoteFideoHybrid mother of millionsMother of millions+2
Open
Aloe vera (sábila) (Aloe vera)Aloe vera (sábila) (Aloe vera)Aloe vera (sábila) (Aloe vera)
Photo: blakesito · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; salmasalazar · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; jrebman · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Aloe vera (sábila)

Aloe vera · sábila, sávila, zábila, aloe, posacmetl (Nahuatl)
SeriousTested: no benefit or harmfulSkin and woundsWomen's healthStings and bites
Aloe latex (yellow sap under the skin) taken by mouth causes cramps and diarrhea; aloe by mouth may be unsafe in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Oral aloe leaf extracts have been linked to acute hepatitis; overuse of latex can worsen side effects of heart drugs such as digoxin.
The UNAM Atlas says it should not be used by pregnant women or people with hemorrhoids.
Gel on skin is usually well tolerated, but burning, itching and rash have been reported.
Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea).
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Leaf applied as a poultice for skin problems and bruises, and to help wounds heal
    On the skinLeaf · Poultice
  • Used on sunburn and pimples
  • Sap applied externally for abdominal pain after childbirth, and on the nipples to wean a child (aloe latex taken by mouth causes cramps and diarrhea)
    On the skinLatex/sap · Sap or latex applied
  • Listed among home remedies taken by mouth after scorpion stings
    DrunkTaken by mouth
How to recognize it
  • Rosette of thick, fleshy leaves with almost no stem
  • Leaves 40 to 50 cm long, edged with small pale teeth
  • Leaf snaps easily and is full of clear gel inside
  • Yellowish to orange tubular flowers hanging on a spike up to about 80 cm; the plant flowers many times
Don't confuse with: Agave spp. (maguey). Agave leaves are tough and fibrous inside, not gel-filled, and most rosettes die after one huge flower stalk. Agave sap has needle-like calcium oxalate crystals that cause an itchy, burning rash.
Don't confuse with: Dracaena trifasciata (Sansevieria, lengua de suegra). Snake plant leaves are flat, stiff, up to 1.2 m, cross-banded in shades of green, with no teeth; toxic if eaten (saponins) and the sap can irritate skin.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=30
What science shows and sources
What science shows

A 2024 meta-analysis of RCTs found burns healed about 3.8 days faster with aloe than with other topicals, with no clear effect on pain; earlier reviews also favored aloe but noted weak trials.

A Cochrane review found no high-quality evidence for aloe on acute or chronic wounds, and one trial found aloe delayed surgical-wound healing by 30 days.

No trial of aloe for stings found; Mexico's official standard says to avoid home remedies and get antivenom (faboterápico) at a health unit, ideally within 30 minutes.

Sources (14)
Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides)Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides)Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides)
Photo: chepipatricio · CC-BY-NC; blakesito · CC-BY · elsewhere in Mexico; bodofzt · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Epazote

Dysphania ambrosioides · syn. Teloxys ambrosioides, Chenopodium ambrosioides
SeriousTraditional useStings and bites
Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding and children; the oil is neurotoxic.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Used for scorpion stings
How to recognize it
  • Sources give few field marks for this plant; have an expert confirm the identification.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Recorded use only; Mexico's official standard says to avoid home remedies and get antivenom.

Sources (3)
Fideo (Cuscuta spp.)Fideo (Cuscuta spp.)Fideo (Cuscuta spp.)
Photo: daniel_brito · CC-BY-NC; franj36 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; bsullend · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Fideo

Cuscuta spp. · fideillo, cabello de ángel, zacatlaxcale, zacapale, zacate para sacar dolor, azafrán
CautionTraditional useSkin and woundsTraditional healingPain and inflammation
Purgative if taken internally.
Used for
  • Used for burns (C. jalapensis)
  • Used for skin complaints (C. corymbosa)
  • Stem applied locally with rue and anise against warts
    On the skinStem · Applied
  • For susto (fright); decoction used as a bath
    BathDecoction
  • Boiled herb applied as hot cloths for dropsy (swelling)
    On the skinCompress
How to recognize it
  • Leafless, rootless parasitic vine: a tangle of thin yellow or orange threads over other plants
  • Stems smooth, attached to the host by tiny suckers
  • Leaves only as tiny scales
  • Small white or yellowish flowers, mostly 2 to 6 mm, in clusters; round seed capsules
Don't confuse with: Cassytha filiformis. Love vine (a laurel relative) is perennial, green to orange, climbs mainly on woody plants, and has small fleshy berry-like fruits with one seed.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=163
FruitJFMAMJJASONDn=10
What science shows and sources
What science shows

The UNAM Atlas says no experimental or historical information supports the traditional uses of C. jalapensis or C. corymbosa.

Sources (9)
Hybrid mother of millions (Kalanchoe × houghtonii)Hybrid mother of millions (Kalanchoe × houghtonii)Hybrid mother of millions (Kalanchoe × houghtonii)
Photo: joseantonioap · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico; chey_serrano29 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; aimee-vera · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Hybrid mother of millions

Kalanchoe × houghtonii · madre de millones híbrida
Serious
Very poisonous to livestock and humans, like its parents.
How to recognize it
  • Hybrid of mother of thousands and mother of millions
  • Boat-shaped, folded leaves 4 to 8 cm long and 8 to 20 mm wide, always simple
  • Gray-green with darker patches; many teeth along the edges where plantlets form
  • Also makes plantlets on the branches of old flower clusters
Don't confuse with: Mother of thousands Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Mother of thousands has much larger leaves, often over 10 cm long and 25 mm wide.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=19
What science shows and sources
Sources (3)
Mother of millions (Kalanchoe delagoensis)Mother of millions (Kalanchoe delagoensis)Mother of millions (Kalanchoe delagoensis)
Photo: ashes49 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; monitoreos_ejido_caltepec · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; joseantonioap · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Mother of millions

Kalanchoe delagoensis · madre de millones
Serious
Very poisonous to livestock and humans; causes many cattle deaths. Dogs especially susceptible.
Contains bufadienolides; cattle and sheep poisonings are common where it grows wild.
How to recognize it
  • Upright succulent, 30 to 180 cm
  • Gray, almost cylindrical (pencil-like) leaves, 2 to 6 mm wide, with a groove and dark mottling
  • A few teeth only at the leaf tip, where plantlets form
  • Drooping red to orange-red bell-shaped flowers, 2 to 4 cm, in clusters at the top
Don't confuse with: Hybrid mother of millions Kalanchoe × houghtonii. The hybrid has flatter, boat-shaped leaves with teeth all along the edges, not only at the tip.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=45
What science shows and sources
Sources (4)
Mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)Mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)Mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)
Photo: joseantonioap · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico; aimee-vera · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; charlyvc · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Mother of thousands

Kalanchoe daigremontiana · aranto, madre de mil hijos, espinazo del diablo
SeriousTraditional useNerves and sleep
Poisonous if eaten: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, heart-rhythm problems and seizures; can be fatal to pets. Sap can irritate skin.
Invasive in Mexican protected natural areas.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Leaves used in Mexico as a muscle relaxant, sedative, tea for fever, and for high blood pressure (reported in an invasive-species paper, not an ethnobotanical survey)
    DrunkLeaf · Tea
How to recognize it
  • Upright succulent up to about 1 m
  • Long, simple, boat-shaped or triangular leaves, often over 10 cm long and 2.5 cm wide
  • Gray-green leaves with darker blotches
  • Many tiny plantlets along the toothed leaf edges
Don't confuse with: Hybrid mother of millions Kalanchoe × houghtonii. The hybrid has smaller boat-shaped leaves, 4 to 8 cm long and under 2 cm wide.
Months with iNaturalist records in Mexico
FlowersJFMAMJJASONDn=22
What science shows and sources
What science shows

No Mexican record of medicinal use or clinical trial was found; it appears only in passing in a weed-control paper.

Sources (4)
Siempreviva (Kalanchoe pinnata)Siempreviva (Kalanchoe pinnata)Siempreviva (Kalanchoe pinnata)
Photo: bodofzt · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; noemi_07 · CC-BY-NC · elsewhere in Mexico; manuelhernandezancheita · CC-BY-NC-SA · elsewhere in Mexico on iNaturalist

Siempreviva

Kalanchoe pinnata · tronador, hoja fresca, sánalo todo, maravilla, belladona, bruja
SeriousLab or animal studiesSkin and woundsFever and infectionPain and inflammation
Contains heart-active bufadienolides. Cattle that ate fresh flowers died with heart-rhythm problems.
Toxic to dogs and cats: vomiting, diarrhea, rarely abnormal heart rhythm.
Rated 'very high' invasiveness risk for Mexico by CONABIO; spreads from plantlets on fallen leaves.
Used for

Recorded uses of a poisonous plant, listed as tradition, not advice. Read the warnings above.

  • Squeezed or ground leaf placed on burns
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
  • Crushed or rubbed leaf, or poultice, for erysipelas, ringworm and abscesses
    On the skinLeaf · Applied or Poultice
  • Ground plant with its juice laid on the belly or forehead to bring down fever
    On the skinWhole plant, Leaf · Applied or Juice
  • Crushed, soaked leaves applied for headache
    On the skinLeaf · Applied
How to recognize it
  • Upright succulent, 0.3 to 2 m tall, with round, little-branched stems
  • Opposite leaves, often split into fleshy leaflets with scalloped (notched) edges
  • Drooping, hanging flowers, greenish, yellowish or reddish, on long flower stalks
  • New plantlets sprout from the notches of fallen leaves
Don't confuse with: Mother of thousands Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Mother of thousands has one long, boat-shaped or triangular leaf (often over 10 cm) with many plantlets along the toothed edge, never split into leaflets; also toxic.
What science shows and sources
What science shows

Leaf juice is antibacterial in vitro and leaves showed wound-healing and anti-inflammatory activity in rats; no human trial found for burns or wounds.

No Mexican source records Kalanchoe for scorpion stings. A survey of 1,174 people in Guerrero listed 155 remedies and siempreviva was not among them.

Sources (11)
Coming later

What people here know

Much of what people around La Saladita know about these plants has never been written down. This page will grow to include it, in the words of the people who know it, with their permission and credited the way each person prefers.

If you know a plant remedy from here and would like it recorded, get in touch through the site.

Compiled October 2026 from published sources. Each card lists its sources; species links go to the site's species pages.

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