When time and funding permit, each flower (each plant species) will have its own page, and its own PDF, and eventually its own PPT so that professors and students have plenty of material on Guatemala (and Honduras, etc) to study.
Heliconia adflexa, Coban, Guatemala, Hotel Monja Blanca, FLAAR, by Nicholas Hellmuth
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Avocado Hass, another common modern tropical fruit descended from Maya avocados of Guatemala and Mexico |
Introduction to Hass Avocado Avocado is a tree that belong to the family Lauraceae and Persea genus. This genus currently contains many species and most are from the southern United States (Persea borbonia) to Chile (Persea lingue). Only exceptions are Persea indica found in the Canary Islands (Spain) and probably others in southern Asia is thought to belong Persea. Originally from Guatemala, Central America and Mexico. (Portal Anacafé: cultivo de Aguacates).
Most of the different varieties of avocado of producing countries have been classified into three basic races: Mexican – Mexican origin, Guatemalan, and West Indian - both of Guatemalan origin and part of Central America. The avocado in pre-Columbian times was not of a size, shape, and consistency to be commercially successful. So botanists, such as William Poponoe, worked for years to find and breed more commercially viable avocados. In the late nineteenth century, there was an event that marked the first expansion of the manufacturing industry with the introduction of avocado to California in 1911, with product from Atlixco Puebla, Mexico. Later the Hass variety was developed. Most native Maya avocados had a lot of fiber inside; not as yummy as modern varieties. So commercial agricultural specialists developed what is called the Hass avocado.
Features The avocado is a perennial plant, which reaches as high as 10 or 12 meters. In the subtropical and warm-temperate areas, plants act as self-fertile when pollinated.
The avocado fruit is a drupe fleshy, pear shape, oval, globular or elongated elliptical. Its color can be light or dark green, purple or black. Avocado contains vitamin E, A, B1, B2, B3, D and to a lesser extent C. Minerals such as iron, phosphorus and magnesium as well as folic acid, niacin and biotin. Grafting It is interesting to know how species arise. Hass avocado is done through a graft when the stem of the plant pattern is about 1 centimeter in diameter, which is reached within 4-6 months after planting. The height to be grafted is 20-30 inches from the base to be grafted onto a cool, airy place for a good bond between the pattern and the graft.
Color Change The color change in avocados is given a light green to dark green or opaque, as well as loss of gloss.
Uses Hass Variety The flowering season Harvest
Avocados from Mesoamerica Region Persea americana Native from tropical América. In Guatemala is a very precious common tree, grown to any height from sea level to mountainous areas above 2500 meters. Guatemala has a wealth of varieties of this species which have served for the development of avocado as a crop in other countries. The fruit is edible and widely used in Guatemala in various dishes especially in preparing “guacamole”. An oil can be extracted from the seed and used in cosmetics. As medicine, this plant has several uses. It has been documented for abortive, antibacterial and vermifugal activity. The wood is used to make artistic figures. If you process the seeds with plantain leaves and potassium bicromate you get a brown dye.
Persea schiedeana Tree, 8-25 m tall, the stems puberulent to glabrescent. Leaves simple, alternate. Flowers greenish white. Fruit of 4-6 x 8-10 cm, spherical or pear-shaped, green or greenish-brown when ripe, with a single seed inside.
Gallery BIBLIOGRAPHY ON AVOCADOS We will have a more complete bibliography later this year, on our bibliography web site, www.maya-art-books.org. But in the meantime, here are some discussions of avocado of Mesoamerica. CHIZMAR FERNANDEZ, Carla MacVEAN, Ana Lucrecia WEBSITES Portal Anacafé http://www.avocadosource.com/journals/cictamex/cictamex_1998-2001/CICTAMEX_1998-2001_PG_171-187.pdf
Most recently updated August 1, 2016. |