The consumption ofTypha domingensis pers. (Typhaceae) Pollen among the ethnic groups of the Gran Chaco, South America

The gathering of Typha domingensis pollen and the modes of preparation and consumption edible products with it by seven ethnic groups of the Gran Chaco (Chulupí, Lengua, Maká, Mataco, Pilagá, Toba and Toba-Pilagá) in Argentina and Paraguay are described in this paper, together with those product’s local names and chemical compositions. Pollen provides an excellent food for those groups, because of both its nutritional value and its availability in periods when there is a scarcity of fruits and vegetables. The ethnic groups of the Gran Chaco do not eat any kind of pollen other than that ofT. domingensis.