MOCHE: A PERUVIAN COASTAL COMMUNITY— GILLIN 



21 



Alverjas (vetches). Planted eitlier in fields or gardens; 

 m;s look like those of common sweetpea; produces 

 :.iall, podded, pealike fruit; several varieties. 



Azafran. Usually planted in field borders and garden or- 

 chards; produces a dark orange-red flower, which is dried 

 and toasted over the fire, then rubbed to a powder be- 

 tween the hands. The powder is used to color foods, and 

 is an essential ingredient of sopa teologa. 



Caigua of various varieties. .V low, creeping plant pro- 

 ducing a soft squashlike fruit, which is eaten as a vege- 

 table and also stuffed with meat to make albondigas. 

 Usually planted in field borders near irrigation ditches. 



Camotes (sweetpotatoes). Planted systematically in fields. 

 Several varieties. The following types of camotes are 

 grown: sangrieiito (bloody), Colorado (red), boca de 

 chisco, cspclina, pienta de la I'uida ("widow's leg," large, 

 long, white, and big in diameter), nino ("child," but, 

 curiously, also large and white), and morado (purple). 



Capuli. Planted in fields and elsewhere; low plant; fruit 

 looks like North American "groundcherry." 



Carrizo. A stiff reed used for making baskets ; sometimes 

 planted in fields, it also grows in field borders and along- 

 side irrigation ditches. Although this plant seems to have 

 a tougher, harder surfaced stem than caiia brava, I 

 am not sure that botanically it is a distinct plant. 



Cebolla (onion). Planted in gardens and fields ; some raised 

 for the market. 



Culantro. Planted ; used as food seasoning. 



Garbanzo (chickpea). Planted, usually in field borders. 



Lechuga (lettuce). Planted in gardens only. 



Mani (peanuts). Planted in fields, but on a small scale by 

 the Mocheros. One of the local landholding forasteros 

 grows peanuts commercially. 



Papas (white potatoes). Very rarely planted in Aloche 

 because they do not do well. 



Platano (banana). The following types are recognized: 

 Rahanetc (literally "radishlike") ; de la isla (island ba- 

 nana), especially favored in fried form; mansano ("apple 

 banana"), sweet and eaten raw; naranjo ("orange"), 

 orange colored and with a slightly tart taste ; de seda 

 ("silky") ; guineo ("Guinea banana"), large yellow. 



Rabano (radish). Planted in gardens only. 



Repollo (cabbage). Planted in fields and gardens. 



Sandia (watermelon). Several varieties planted, all striped. 



Tomate. Garden tomatoes ; there is also said to be a wild 

 tomato which grows in the field borders, producing a 

 small, tasty fruit. (I have not seen it.) 



Tumbo. A climbing vine, producing an edible fruit about 

 the size of a muskmelon ; planted around houses as cover 

 for outdoor arbors. It is said that each plant has a 

 guardian serpent, which attacks strangers attempting to 

 steal the fruit or harm the plant. 



Zanahoria (carrot). Planted in gardens. 



Mocheros i.s to chew the stalk as a confection, sucking 

 otit the sweet juice. 



I'ritit trees and bushes planted either in hucrtas or 

 in field borders include the following: 



Algodon pardo (brown cotton). A few persons have planted 

 bushes in their hucrtas, while other jilants are to be found 

 growing unicndcd by roadsides (pi. 5, middle). The 

 bushes assume a large, spreading form, as much as 9 feet 

 high and 12 feet in diameter, and arc not trimmed. They 

 are rare in Moche, but the [roduct is much prized for its 

 use in certain types of curing. 



Blanquillo. Brush with edible fruit. 



Calabazo (gourd tree). There are apparently several 

 varieties of these bushes ; although the best-decorated 

 gourd containers in use in Moche are obtained in trade 

 (usually from the region of Chiclayo), gourds are grown 

 in Moche for ordinary use. The product varies in size and 

 shape from a wide, shallow, platelike container up to 15 

 inches in diameter, to small cups 3 inches in diameter, 

 and long-necked chicha bottles with globular bodies. The 

 branches of the producing bushes are supported by sticks 

 and the fruits themselves are bound with bandages in- 

 tended to control their shapes. Tlie plants, which are all 

 of an "over-sized" bush type, are usually planted and 

 tended in huertas. 



Cerezo (cherry). 



Chirimoyo. Fruit tree in hucrtas. 



Ciruela. Plum ; planted both in huertas and field borders. 



Higo (fig). Tree valued for the fruit and also for the 

 large five-ixsinted leaves which are used to flavor the dish 

 known as sancochado. 



Limon agrio (common lemon). 



Limon real. Large, sweetish lemon ; some are almost orange 

 in color. 



Limon sutil (lime). 



Liicumo. Fruits are picked, placed in the sun for a day or 

 two, and wrapped in rags or straw to ripen. 



Mamey. Fruit tree in huertas. 



Mango. Fruit tree in huertas. 



Merabrillo. A woody bush bearing a small fruit 



Naranjo agrio. Bitter orange, usually green when "ripe," 

 Sucked to relieve thirst, but mainly used in scviches and 

 cscaz'iches. 



Narango dulce. Sweet orange. 



Pacay (gua\a). 



Palto (alligator pear). Usually found near the house. 



Papayo (papaya). Has male and female forms. Male trees 

 have yellow flowers, and their fruit, when it occurs, is 

 small. Female trees have white flowers and smaller leaves. 

 Mocheros believe that only a man can prune the female 

 trees, and only a woman can prune the male trees. If 

 this rule is not followed, fruit shrivels or does not appear. 



Sugarcane (caila de asucar), which constitutes the 

 principal field crop of the haciendas of the entire Tru- 

 jillo region, including the Haciendita of the Moche 

 District, is not grown by the Mocheros, except for an 

 occasional plant. Its only use as a plant among the 



Other plants encountered in the campina are the 

 following. Most are half-domesticated, as very little 

 grows wild in an irrigated countryside without at 

 least the tolerance of the human occupants. Some 

 are planted more or less regularly, some not; but 



