laurel branches used in penitential offerings (Karttunen); or fir branches (Anderson and Dibble translating Sahagún); or, a rope woven of reeds, branches, or grass
Branches of the acxoyatl were used in the festival of Huei Tozoztli, according to the Florentine Codex, Book 2, Chapter 4.
auh noviian qujtlalilia yn jchial, in mumuztli in vtlica, in vmaxac, noujian chialoia. Auh in mumuzco acxoiatl qujtlaliliaia, ynjc tlamacujlti ilhujtl, ynjc tzonqujҫa cempoalilhujtl: muchipa iuh muchiuhtiuja, yn jpan cecentetl ilhujtl, ynjc tlantiuh cecempoalilhujtl = And everywhere they set up his sanctuaries, shrines by the road, at crossroads. Everywhere he was awaited. And in the shrines they had fir branches laid on the five days with which the twenty-day [month] ended. Always they went to do this on each of the [five] days with which each month ended (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
acxoyatl = a fir tree, or a wild laurel
acxoyatl (n) = the wild laurel
tlenamaca, contema yn iacxoyauh, yn iuitz yeheço = He offered incense; he spread out his fir boughs, his bloodied maguey spines (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
The rope was used in foundation rituals, and it appears in the migration account associated with Chicomoztoc.
acxoyatl = an instrument typical of plant material, e.g., agave, reed, or fir, used in ritual bloodletting and mock combat (FC 6:;215:13; GKC sec. 69, AUB 18, FC 2:78:30, FC 2:118:7–8, FC 2:130:7–13, FC 2:137:36); any of various needle-leaved species (see HERN 1:12–14), especially the fir (HERN 1:12–13, SANT: aXOYATE = ABIES RELIGIOSA, SEE TEZ CH 163 P. 472).
in acxoyatl in huitztli = objetos del autosacrificio: ramas de un árbol, espinas de maguey = una metáfora para decir 'autosacrificio' (s. XVI)
in quihualtemaya inimacxoyauh annozo acxoyatl nauhpailloque inoncan inceppahualhui in quihuallittaca cecenmantoc in acxoyatl = al depositar acá sus "acxoyates" regresaron cuatro veces; vienen acá una vez, cuando quien disemina los "acxoyates" ve que van esparciéndose. [cuando acá depositaban sus "acxoyates" o "acxoyatl" volvieron allá cuantro veces; vienen una vez cuando acá ve que están esparciéndose sus "acxoyates" el que acá los dispersa.] (centro de Mexico, s. XVII)