FLACOURTIACEAE 
Mayna amazonica (Mart.) Macbride in Field Mus. Bot. 13 (1941) 
16. 
COLOMBIA: Comisaria del Putumayo, Rio Sucumbios, Conejo y los alrede- 
dores, en frente a la Quebrada Conejo. ‘‘Kofan: tza-he-vee-ko. Tree. Medici- 
nal bath for cramps.’’ April 2-5, 1942. R. E. Schultes 3515. — Buena Vista. 
October 13, 1972. F. Piaguaje for J. Langdon s.n. 
In view of the use by Kofan Indians of a warm bath made of 
the leaves of Mayna amazonica to relieve cramps, the recent 
note by the anthropologist Langdon, who was working among 
the neighboring Sionas, on the use of the wood and leaves of this 
plant is noteworthy. Langdon reports that the wood and leaves 
are heated in water to prepare a decoction employed as a bath to 
relieve a condition causing aching of the legs and a feeling as 
though small ants were biting the legs. 
Mayna linguifolia R. E. Schultes in Caldasia 3 (1945) 439. 
COLOMBIA: Comisaria del Amazonas; Trapecio Amazonico, Rio Loretoyacu. 
Alt. 100 m. Oct. 20-30, 1945. R. E. Schultes 6593. 
Witoto Indians, originally from the Rio Igaraparana but now 
residing in the region of Leticia, report that formerly an oil from 
the seeds of this treelet was used to cure ‘‘sores of the skin.’’ The 
Witoto name of the plant is we-pe-te-ka. 
Mayna longifolia Poeppig et Endlicher, Nov. Gen. ac Sp. Pl. 3 
(1845) 64, t. 271. 
COLOMBIA: Comisaria del Amazonas, Rio Miritiparana, Cano Guacaya. 
‘*Fruit cauline, greenish white.’’ April 24, 1952. R. E. Schultes et 1. Cabrera 
16285. 
ECUADOR: Napo, Rio Aguarico, Dureno. ‘‘Primary forest. Aril around seed 
edible. Tree. Kofan: itetsi pandiri cho.’’ December 21, 1965. H. V. Pinkley 
28. 
The seeds of this shrub are often kept in Indian houses for 
medicinal use: crushed and boiled in water, they are employed 
as an emetic, especially in cases of serious food poisoning. This 
tea must, however, be used with extreme caution, since it is 
itself toxic if vomiting is not provoked, causing dizziness, exces- 
sive sweating and uncontrollable trembling. 
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