Dysphania ambrosioides

Dysphania ambrosioides, formerlyChenopodium ambrosioides, known asepazote,Jesuit's tea,Mexican teaorwormseed,is an annual or short-lived perennialherbnative to the Americas.
Dysphania ambrosioidesis anannualor short-livedperennialherb, growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-lanceolateleavesup to12 cm (4+1⁄2in) long. Theflowersare small and green, produced in a branchedpanicleat the apex of the stem.
As well as in its native areas, it is grown in warmtemperatetosubtropicalareas of Europe and the United States (Missouri,New England,Eastern US),sometimes becoming aninvasiveweed.
Epazoteessential oilcontainsascaridole(up to 70%),limonene,p-cymene, and smaller amounts of numerous othermonoterpenesand monoterpene derivatives (α-pinene,myrcene,terpinene,thymol,camphorand trans-isocarveol).Ascaridole(1,4-peroxido-p-menth-2-ene) is rather an uncommon constituent of spices; another plant owing much of its character to this monoterpeneperoxideisboldo. Ascaridole is slightly toxic and has a pungent, not very pleasant flavor. In pure form,ascaridoledecomposes violently upon heating, but this is relatively weak in regards to energy release, since breaking the oxygen bond will not destroy the entire molecule.Ascaridole content is lower in epazote from Mexico than in epazote grown in Europe or Asia.
The species was described in 1753 byCarl LinnaeusasChenopodium ambrosioides.Some researchers treated it as a highly polymorphic species with several subspecies. Today these are considered as their own species within genusDysphania(e.g. American wormseed,Chenopodium ambrosioidesvar.anthelminticumis now accepted asDysphania anthelmintica).
The generic nameDysphaniawas traditionally applied in the 1930s to some species endemic to Australia. Placement and rank of this taxon have ranged from a mere section withinChenopodiumto the sole genus of a separate family, Dysphaniaceae, or a representative of the Illicebraceae. The close affinity ofDysphaniato "glandular" species ofChenopodiumsensu latois now evident.
The specific epithetambrosioidesrefers to the plant's resemblance to unrelated plants of the genusAmbrosia, in the aster family.
The common Spanish nameepazote(sometimes spelled and pronouncedipasoteorypasote) is derived from theNahuatlwordepazōtl(pronounced[eˈpasoːt͡ɬ]).
Humans have died from overdoses ofD. ambrosioidesessential oils (attributed to theascaridolecontent). Symptoms include severegastroenteritiswith pain,vomiting, anddiarrhea.,dizziness, headache, temporary deafness, kidney and
liver damage, convulsions, paralysis, death.
Ideally collected before going to seed,D. ambrosioidesis used as aleaf vegetable,herb, andherbal teafor its pungent flavor. Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal pungency, similar tooregano,anise,fennel, or eventarragon, but stronger. The fragrance ofD. ambrosioidesis strong and unique.A common analogy is toturpentineorcreosote. It has also been compared tocitrus,savory, andmint.
Although it is traditionally used withblack beansfor flavor and itsantiflatulentproperties,it is also sometimes used to flavor other traditional Mexican dishes: it can be used to seasonquesadillasandsopes(especially those containinghuitlacoche), soups,mole de olla,tamaleswithcheeseandchili peppers,chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes,esquites, andenchiladas. It is often used as an herb in fried white rice, and it is an important ingredient for making the green salsa for chilaquiles.
The essential oils ofD. ambrosioidescontainterpenecompounds, some of which have natural pesticide capabilities.The compoundascaridolein epazote inhibits the growth of nearby species, so it is best to grow it at a distance from other plants.
Dysphania ambrosioidesnot only contains terpene compounds, but it also delivers partial protection to nearby plants simply by masking their scent to some insects, making it a usefulcompanion plant. Its small flowers may also attract some predatory wasps and flies.