Heliopsis longipes (S.F. Blake) is the botanical name for chilcuague. It belongs to Asteraceae, the daisy family, and was previously classified as Philactis longipes.
Where it grows
The species is endemic to the Sierra Gorda and Sierra Álvarez, a mountainous region of central Mexico across the states of Querétaro, Guanajuato and San Luis Potosí. Endemic means exactly that: it occurs naturally nowhere else on earth, which is why supply has always been limited and why sourcing responsibly matters.
The root
It is a perennial herb, and the root is the part of interest. The alkamides that define the plant, principally affinin, N-isobutyl-2E,6Z,8E-decatrienamide, first isolated in 1945, occur in the roots and not in the leaves or flowers. Any preparation claiming to be chilcuague should be made from root material.
Other names
Chilcuague, chilcuán, pelitre, Aztec root, golden root. The Nahuatl origin is chilcoatl: chil, spicy; coatl, snake, describing both the pungency and the twisting form of the root.
Traditional context
In central Mexico the root has long been used as a culinary spice, its pungency compared to chilli, and added to sauces and regional dishes.
Sourcing
Tonalli sources Heliopsis longipes root from Guanajuato. We are based in Melbourne and ship Australia-wide.