have commented on the many uses and functions of 
maguey or the mescal plant. Ina future paper, Bye will 
review these reports with respect to the T'arahumara as 
2n whole. We now propose to review the utilization and 
significance of the magueys to one group, the Western 
Tarahumara‘’. This paper is the first part in a series on 
Western Tarahumara ethnobotany in which we plan to 
present information on and discussions of plants used 
by the natives living on the eastern slopes of the Rio 
Chinipas drainage area in the Municipios of Guazapares, 
Chinipas and Uruachi in southwestern Chihuahua. The 
Rio Chinipas, a tributary of the Rio Fuerte, originates 
west of the Continental Divide near Creel. 
Kight species of leave which occur in western ‘Tara- 
humara region will be discussed’. Most of the species are 
restricted to the northern Sierra Madre Occidental and 
range from the arid sub-tropical vegetation of the barran- 
cas to the cool pine forests of the sierras. Table I sum- 
marizes the range, elevation and ecological association 
of the Western Tarahumara agaves. 
UTILIZATION 
Agave is first and foremost a source of food. The com- 
mon method in preparing the heart (.e., the secondary 
thickened stem with compacted nodes) and leaf bases 
consists of pit-baking, usually by the men. Plants are 
selected by size and degree of development of the inflo- 
rescence bud, The leaves near the centre around the 
swollen flower stalk bud are usually disposed in a series 
of smaller leaves contrasting with the previous larger 
ones. Harvesting the plant Just prior to the elongation of 
the large inflorescence when the concentration of energy- 
'Tarahumara Baja, according to Mexico’s Instituto Nacional Indi- 
genista. 
” Consideration of other species found to the east and not recognized 
by the Western Tarahumara will be deferred to a later paper. 
if a] 
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