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Scientific Name: Tabesnoemontana alba Plant Family: Apocyanaceae Other Names: horse's balls, grandpa's balls, tonche', cojon, cojotone |
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| Like many of the most common used and recognized plants in the region, people of the region recognize two species with the same name, huevos de caballo, and distinguish them as male or female. Traditionally, the two have similar characteristics, but the male plant produces smaller and fewer fruits. In this case, both species of Huevos de Caballo have fruits that grow on the tree in pairs. The hard, brown fruits, which are much larger on the female trees, when cracked open, have an orange meat inside which attracts numerous insects. The flowers of the male tree, unlike the fruits, are small and delicate white stars. |
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| The white, milky latex of Huevos de Caballo can be used to kill botfly larvae. Botflies are insects which lay eggs on a specific species of mosquito. When the mosquito bites a mammal, including humans, it implants the egg on the host's skin, and the larvae quickly hatches and burrows down into the host's body, feeding until it is big enough to leave and pupate in the ground. As the botfly moves its spine-covered body abound to eat, it can be quite uncomfortable for the unfortunate host. To get rid of this nuisance, the sticky Huevos de Caballo latex can be used to seal up the hole so that the larvae suffocates and can be squeezed out. |
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