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Written by The Wraith
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Tuesday, 21 December 1999 |
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Page 5 of 16
Indians who are familiar with Virola trees from the point of view of their hallucinogenic potency exhibit uncanny knowledge of different “kinds”--which to a botanist appear to be indistinguishable as to species. Before stripping the bark from a trunk, they are able to predict how long the exudates will take to turn red, whether it will be mild or peppery to the tongue when tasted, how long it will retain its potency when made into snuff, and many other hidden characteristics.
Whether these subtle differences be due to age of the tree, season of the year, ecological situations, conditioning of flowering or fruiting, or other environmental or physiological factors it is at present impossible to say-- but there is not doubt about the Indian’s expertness in recognizing these differences, for which he often has a terminology, so significant in his hallucinogenic and medicinal use of the trees.
“Semen of the sun”
Taken from: “Plants of the gods, their sacred, healing and hallucinogenic powers” By Richard Evans Schultes and Albert Hofmann (Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont)
ISBN 0-89281-406-3
CHAGROPANGA (DIPLOPTERIS CABRERENA) MALPIGHIACEAE
A. L. Jussieu
Malpighia Family
The 800 species in 60 genera of this family are shrubs or small trees, more often vines or lianas. They are tropical, mainly South American. The family has been divided into two groups based on the structure of the torus and the form of the fruits.
Several species are local medicinals; others are well-known South American hallucinogens; the fruits of some are edible.
The chemistry of the family is known primarily through the study of the hallucinogenic drinks prepared from a few South American genera and species containing a variety of beta-carboline and tryptamine alkaloids. Hiptagen, poylphenols and saponins are also found.
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