English: Mexican earflower.
Spanish: Orejuelas.
Name: Cymbo means boat and petalum is petal.
Genus: ± 27 species.
Region: central America, south Mexico, Guatemala, Belize.
Habitat: wet forest; elevations below 800 metres.
Use: ancient crop of the Aztecs; rarely cultivated for its flowers in Mexico and Guatemala; aromatic petals as spice for chocolate and other beverages; dried petals for flavouring pinol and other beverages; bark for making rope.
BotanyTree; pyramidal or spreading crown; 10 to 23 metres tall.
Stem: 25 cm or more in diameter; wood is white throughout, turning a cream colour after exposure.
Flowers: curious, large, pendent, ebracteate pedicels; very fragrant; petals similar to the human ear, boat-shaped, with the margins mostly strongly rolled inwards.