Excellent! It can be seen at www.taxcolandia.com/.../flor_cuetlaxochitl.htm

"The Galloping Gourmand" > wrote in message
ps.com...
I bet you just thought they were only decorative seasonal flowers or
pictures on Christmas cards...

"La planta, origen de la flor de Pascua, fue descubierta por los
aztecas cuando iniciaron la conquista de las tierras del sur...dice la
leyenda que la sangre derramada de los chontales sacrificiados a caer a
la madre tierra dio origen a esta flor que los Aztecas llamaron
Cuetlaxochitl." ---Noticero Semanal

(The plant, origin of the flower of Passover, was discovered by the
Aztecs when they initiated the conquest of territories of the south...a
legend says that the spilled blood of the sacrificed foreign captives
that fell to the mother earth gave origin to this flower that the
Aztecs called Cuetlaxochitl.) Babelfish translation

http://www.azteca.net/aztec/nahuatl/flores.html

What is Cuetlaxochitl? It is a flower that is native to Tenochtitlan.
The Cuetlaxochitl can grow as high as 10 feet tall and its beautiful
red flowers bloom in the winter time.. The winter weather in Mexico
City is quite cold in December and January.

Beautiful botanical gardens existed throughout the Mexico empire in
pre-Hispanic times. Flowers and herbal plants were cultivated for their
beauty and medicinal purposes. From October to mid-May, the
Cuetlaxochitl was admired and observed as it flowered like "birds
aflame." Circa 1440-1446

The Mexicas used the Cuetlaxochitl for curing fevers and in dyeing
their clothes.

Most Mexicans know the Cuetlaxochitl as Noche Buena since it blooms
around Christmas time.

In the United States, the flower has another history and another name,
but its origin is still Mexican. It all began when Joel Robert Poinsett
was appointed as ambassador to Mexico. On Christmas day 1825,
Ambassador Poinsett visited the Taxco church in Santa Prisca, where the
Franciscans had adorned the nativity scene with exotic red flowers that
gave it a very elegant and uncommon appearance.

This flower along with chocolate, corn, avocadoes, peanuts, tomatoes,
chiles, and many other foods are gifts from Mexico/MesoAmerica to the
world.

Cuetlaxochitl is also a common female name in Nahautl.
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http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_joelp.html

Native to Central America, the plant flourished in an area of Southern
Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon. The ancient Aztecs had a name for
this plant found blooming in the tropical highlands during the short
days of winter:cuetlaxochitl. Not merely decorative, the Aztecs put the
plant to practical use. From its bracts they extracted a purplish dye
for use in textiles and cosmetics. The milky white sap, today called
latex, was made into a preparation to treat fevers.
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http://foro.univision.com/univision/...ssage.id=39961

En lengua náhuatl cuetlaxóchitl significa: flor de pétalos
resistentes como el cuero.

Entre los pueblos mesoamericanos, particularmente entre los mexicas, el
cultivo de flores y plantas tenía gran importancia.

En el México precortesiano, la flor de cuetlaxóchitl constituía un
símbolo que correspondía a la "nueva vida" adquirida por los
guerreros que morían en batalla.

La flor de nochebuena también ha sido utilizada, de acuerdo con las
experiencias del médico español Francisco Hernández -siglo XVI-
como un medio para aumentar la leche en las mujeres que amantan.

Las cataplasmas y fomentos de cuetlaxóchitl se aplican para alguna
enfermedades de la piel como la erisipela.

Los pétalos machacados de la flor de nochebuena mezclados con la
resina de los pinos -oxtle- y otros elementos, eran usados para
teñir el cuero y algunos textiles.

(In language náhuatl cuetlaxóchitl means: flower of resistant petals
like the leather. Between the mesoamericanos towns, particularly
between the mexicas, the culture of flowers and plants had great
importance. In pre-conquest Mexico, the flower of cuetlaxóchitl
constituted a symbol that corresponded to the "new life" acquired by
the soldiers who died in battle. The Christmas Eve flower also has been
used, in agreement with the experiences of the Spanish doctor Francisco
Hernandez - century XVI like an average one to increase milk in the
women whom they blanket. The cataplasms and promotions of
cuetlaxóchitl are applied for some diseases of the skin like
erisipela. The crushed petals of the mixed flower of Christmas Eve with
the resin of the pines - oxtle- and other elements, were used to dye
the leather and some textiles.) --- Babelfish translation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Roberts_Poinsett

(Joel Roberts Poinsett) was appointed the first American minister to
Mexico in 1825, and became embroiled in the country's political
turmoil until his recall in 1830. It was during this time that he
visited the area of southern Mexico called Taxco del Alarcon and
discovered what was later to become known as the poinsettia. (The
Aztecs referred to the winter-blooming plant as cuetlaxochitl; its
Latin name is Euphorbia pulcherrima or "the most beautiful Euphorbia.")
Poinsett, an avid amateur botanist sent samples of the plant home to
the States and by 1836 the plant was most widely known as the
"poinsettia."
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