Ethnobotany of food plants (quelites) sold in two traditional markets of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract Mexico stands out for its cuisine worldwide. Although Mexican biocultural diversity is one of the richest in the world, there is still little research on the relationship between local edible resources and the nutrition of the rural and indigenous communities of this country. We conducted a study on food plants (locally known as quelites) that are traditionally cultivated, gathered in agroecosystems or harvested from the forest and sold in two markets of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The fieldwork was done from July 2017 to June 2018 with the collaboration of 66 plant vendors and occasionally, plant peddlers and buyers. The ethnographic techniques used were semi-structured interviews, participant observation, observational walks and interviews with natural groups. In the weekly street markets of Zaachila and Zimatlan 22 species of traditional food plants belonging to 10 botanical families are traded, mainly Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae. These species have one to four popular names. The most commonly parts used are the leaves, flowers and stems. They are eaten in eleven ways. Species Food Availability ranges from very high to high, medium, low and scarce. The sellers in the Zimatlan and Zaachila markets come from 9 and 5 places respectively. The peasants (mainly women) produce or obtain 21 and 15 edible species in their home gardens and cornfields. Farmers cultivate, tolerate and foment 19, 7 and 10 species. In conclusion, the diversity and nutritional content of the plants available in traditional markets create a rich local gastronomic variety that ensures a proper diet.