Edible Begonias from Santiago Ecatlán, municipality of Jonotla, Puebla, México

Abstract

In the community of Santiago Ecatlán, Jonotla, Puebla, located in a cultural region inhabited by Totonacos, the residents take advantage of various plant species with different uses. Among the edible species, some of the Begonia genus (Begoniaceae) stand out, valued mainly for their cultural importance. The petioles of these begonias are consumed as "quelites" and are appreciated both for their flavor and for the economic income they generate through their sale. Factors such as cultural erosion, climate change, the exchange of species between communities from different states, in addition to advances in taxonomic studies, can modify the existing information from previous works about plants. Therefore, the objective of this work was to update the information on edible begonias, their propagation and form of consumption in the community of Ecatlán, through an ethnobotanical study. The information was collected through participant observation, open and semi-structured interviews, and the collection of botanical samples. The following species were identified: Begonia thiemei and B. manicata as the most used, B. heracleifolia with two variants, a probable hybrid between B. heracleifolia and B. manicata, which had possibly been reported by other authors as B. barkeri or B. aff. barkeri and another identified only to the genus, whose morphological characteristics suggest that it could be a new species for science. Regarding the species mentioned by other authors as edible in the area, there was agreement on the use of Begonia heracleifolia, B. manicata and the probable hybrid mentioned above. However, no evidence was found of the presence and/or use of B. fusca, B. incarnata and B. glabra, reported in previous works. Finally, it was recorded that B. nelumbonifolia is not appreciated as food by the local inhabitants. The identified species were found in family gardens, coffee plantations, "ranches" and along roads. Based on the information collected, it was found that the propagation of begonias is carried out in two ways: 1) through the rhizomes and 2) in the case of B. thiemei, by cutting the mature leaf, approximately 2 -3 cm below the leaf blade, and its subsequent planting in soil. These species are available throughout the year, and the preparation of the traditional dish includes various ingredients, including species from the Apiaceae and Piperaceae families.