epazotl (Mdz22r)

The herb's scientific name is Chenopodium ambrosioides. It has a strong smell, which might have a relationship to its name, as the beginning of the word epa- is homophonous with the word for skunk, epatl). The herb is added to foods to flavor them, and it has health benefits, as well. Whether fresh or dried, epazote (as it is called in Mexican Spanish and in English, too) can be added to beans, for instance, and it aids in their digestion. Photos of the herb today show leaves that are long, narrow, and more pointed, but fresh tender starts have leaves something like we see in the glyph here.