(Plate 32), are sold in small lots every Saturday throughout the 
year as “‘rosita de cacao”’ in the market at Oaxaca City (Plate 
33). The local price, although somewhat difficult to calculate, 
comes out roughly to U.S. $1.50 a pound. The volume of sales 
is small. There are no commercial plantings of Q. funebris trees 
in the Oaxaca region. When a young tree is planted, it requires 
at least five or six years before any noticeable flowering oc- 
curs: 
The popular chocolate-flavored beverage called ‘‘tejate’’ is 
produced in Huayapan in the following manner: first, the 
necessary ingredients are collected, starting with corn which 
has been boiled with firewood ashes and which is known as 
“conesli.’’ Dried flowers of Q. funebris are required, as well as 
cocoa seeds and a few mamey nuts (Plate 34). These ingred- 
ients are roasted separately on a ‘‘comal’’, or flat earthenware 
pan (Plate 35). The ingredients are then ground up separately 
on a primitive “‘piedra moler’’ or grindstone (Plate 36). In the 
case of the cocoa beans, the aromatic outer skin (the part 
utilized) is carefully peeled off prior to grinding. A doughy 
mass is now formed by kneading and mixing together the four 
ground-up ingredients. Cold water and sugar are added, as the 
light brown liquid is vigorously stirred until a froth is developed 
(Plates 37, 38 and 40). It is said that this sticky foam, which 
floats on top of the ‘‘tejate’’ (a cold, cocoa-like drink), is due to 
the presence of the Q. funebris flowers — hence the name 
“‘rosita de cacao”’ or ‘‘flor de cacao.’ ‘*Tejate’’ is indeed a 
refreshing, invigorating beverage, popular with field workers 
during the harvest of the corn crop. 
In Mexican herbal medicine, various therapeutic uses are 
attributed to Q. funebris (Monografias Cientificas II, 1976): (1) 
the fruits may be used as an antipyretic to control and allay 
fevers; (2) the flowers may be used in the treatment of 
psychopathic fears; and (3) the flowers may be utilized to 
regulate menstruation. 
In the Oaxaca region, a popular Zapotec cough remedy is 
prepared by adding 5 ‘‘rosita de cacao’’ flowers and | cinna- 
mon stick to % liter of boiling water. 
The following chemical analysis of approximately 7 ounces 
of flowers of Q. funebris from Oaxaca, was reported by Stras- 
185 
