Ximénez (Cuatro libros de la naturaleza y virtudes 
medicinales de las plantas y animales de la Nueva Espana 
(1888) xlix, 184) described a flower which was known 
as the flor de cacao. Leon identified this as the flower of 
Lewvarza funebris Liave (Quararibea funebris). A con- 
sideration of the brief description of the plant, however, 
indicates that this determination is incorrect. Described 
under the heading: De la que aman cacahuaxochitl o flor 
de cacao, the plant to which he referred had cordate 
leaves, purple flowers, and a strong fragrance; further- 
more, it was considered a remedy for intestinal bleeding; 
and it was hot and dry to the taste. Although Ximénez 
did not state that it was used to flavor chocolate, this 
use might possibly be inferred from the name, for a num- 
ber of flowers, fruits, seeds, and leaves were and are used 
in Mexico for this purpose, and some of them have the 
same or similar names. Quararibea differs in several im- 
portant respects from the cacahuawxochitl of Ximénez: it 
has ovate or elliptical (never cordate) leaves; and the 
flowers are pure white (never purple). 
Sahagtin (Historia de las cosas de Nueva Espaia 8 
(1938) 274) also described a plant which was called 
cacauaxochitl: 
There are also other trees called cacauaxochitl which bear flowers 
which are called cacauazochit!. They are like jasmine and have a very 
delicate but pungent fragrance. 
Cacauaxochitl is illustrated in the Paso y Troncoso 
edition of Sahagtn’s Historia de las cosas de Nueva 
Espana (figure 684, lam. cxiv). The illustration, a copy 
of which is reproduced here, Plate LVIII, represents a 
tree which is abundantly flowering; two Indians are pic- 
tured beneath the tree, gathering the flowers in baskets. 
Although it is crudely drawn, this plate illustrates with- 
out any question the bombacaceous Quararibea funebris 
or flor de cacao. 
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