In southern Colombia, particularly the Putumayo region, 
Brunfelsia is also added to Banisteriopsis preparations among 
several tribes, including the Siona, Kofan and Inga. Among the 
Inga, several classes of chiricaspi are recognized. All of these 
are considered febrifuges and the term seems to be generic for 
plant medicines exhibiting this effect. Three kinds of chiricaspi 
are referable to B. grandiflora: picudo “*beaked” chiricaspi, 
salvaje “wild” chiricaspi, and chacruco *‘‘of cultivated 
ground” chiricaspi. Of these, picudo chiricaspi is considered 
to be the strongest variety. To counteract fevers, a small stem 
30cm. long is used. The bark is scraped in cold water, let stand 
for two hours, then drunk. An Ingano curaca or healer at 
Mocoa told me that if three stems are used, one becomes 
intoxicated as with vagé and that it makes the whole body 
cold. Chacruco and salvaje chiricaspi do not differ 
morphologically from picudo chiricaspi but may represent 
chemical races of the plant. A fourth class of chiricaspi — 
calentura “‘fever” chiricaspi — is also known to the Inga. 
This shrub which grows in primary forest has been identified as 
Stephanopodium peruvianum P. & E. (Dichapetalaceae). The 
leaves are taken in cold water against fevers, as the vernacular 
names suggests. To date, no alkaloids have been encountered 
in this family (Raffauf, 1970). 
Another tribe of the Putumayo, the Siona, also employs 
Brunfelsia grandiflora which they designate generically as 
huha hai. Two classes of huha hai are recognized. Yai huha hai 
is not cultivated but collected wild in the forest. Jean Langdon, 
an anthropologist working with the Siona, supplied the follow- 
ing account of vai huha hai along with voucher specimens 
collected by an informant: 
“The plant is used as a drink to give visions as well as to 
alleviate pain. To drink it, they grate the stem and drink the juice 
that comes out. The leaves can also be used if they are mashed 
up. Nothing else is added to the preparation, but it is often taken 
in conjunction with vagé or voko (Paullinia Yoco). If taken with 
vage, it is drunk before drinking vagé.”’ 
The Siona describe the effect of vai huha hai as one of 
extreme coldness. It supposedly dulls all pains. The second 
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