Chamaedorea tepejilote | |
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Pacaya palm (Chamaedorea tepejilote) taken at Atitlán Lake in Guatemala | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Arecales |
Family: | Arecaceae |
Genus: | Chamaedorea |
Species: | C. tepejilote
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Binomial name | |
Chamaedorea tepejilote |
Chamaedorea tepejilote, also known as the pacaya palm, is a species of Chamaedorea palm tree found in the understory of the forests of southern Mexico, Central America, and northern Colombia.[2]
The immature male inflorescences of the plant are considered a delicacy in Guatemala and El Salvador. The unopened inflorescences resemble an ear of corn in appearance and size.[3] Indeed, the word tepejilote means "mountain maize" in the Nahuatl language and was selected because of this resemblance.[2] The common name pacaya, referring to both the plant and its edible flowers, could be derived from the Pacaya volcano.[2]
Pacaya has a somewhat bitter taste, although less so in cultivated varieties.[2] It is eaten in salads (especially fiambre, a salad traditionally eaten in Guatemala on the Day of the Dead) or covered in egg batter and fried.[4] The latter dish is called envueltos de pacaya, and is often served with tomato sauce, like chiles rellenos.