GENUS: DIOON

found in Central America (Mexico and Honduras)

USES

Mexico

Named 'Palma de la Virgen' which is used to decorate churches, and 'Palma de Dolores' because of it's use at funerals. Dioon merolae was found in Chiapas, Mexico placed next to a funeral chapel (De Luca 1990).

The seeds of Dioon edule have been used in the past to make flour. Now the leaves are used to decorate churches for festivals and the seed testa is made into a child's toy/rattle. It is known as 'chamal', 'Palma de Teresita', 'quiotamal', 'tiotamal' (Vovides et al. 1983, Vovides et al. 1992).

Dioon spinulosum or 'chicalito', 'palma de chicalito', 'coyolito de cerro' Fronds are used to decorate churches and it has been heavily overexploited as an ornamental plant. The testa of the seeds are used for beads and toys. As a food, the Chinanteca eat mature seeds in tamales and memelas (Vovides et al. 1983, Vovides et al. 1992).