South America are known to possess poisonous proper- 
ties that effect both man and domesticated animals. The 
following notes, apparently unpublished, are documented 
by plant collections preserved in the Gray Herbarium of 
Harvare University. 
Pernettya prostrata (Cav.) Sleumer var. Pent- 
landii (DC.) Sleumer Notizbl. 12 (1935) 290. 
Botivia: Province of Chapare, Cochabamba. Alt. 3,000 m. ‘‘Frucht 
. soll, wenn reichlich genossen, Schwindel verursachen.’” March 
5, 1929. J. Steinbach 9514. 
Province of Chapare, Cochabamba. Alt. 3,200 m. ‘‘Die Frucht hat 
eine einschlifernde Eigenschaft. Eine zahmer Affe, welcher die 
Beeren meiner zum einlegen bestimten [sic] Pflanzen genascht hatte, 
wurde total betrunken.’” March 10, 1929. J. Steinbach 9583. 
‘These two references indicate that the ripened fruit of 
this low shrub of the Bolivian highlands is narcotic and 
toxic: in. the one case, dizziness was caused when ingested 
by human beings; in the other case, a donkey showed 
signs of intoxication after eating dried fruits. The ver- 
nacular name of this plant in Cochabamba is given as 
macha-macha. 
Pernettya prostrata (Cav. ) Slewmer var. purpurea 
(D.Don) Sleumer Notizbl. 12 (1985) 290. 
Cotomsia: Department of Narifio. Alt. 3,000 m. ... fruit... 
are poisonous; adults become violently ill, children dying from eat- 
ing the berries.’’ August 17, 1938. Y. Mexia 7642. 
ee 
The common name in southern Colombia of this shrub 
is moridera. Accidental poisoning, especially amongst 
children, is reported as not uncommon in Colombia from 
the fruit of Pernettya prostrata, including undoubtedly 
this variety which is abundantly represented in the para- 
mo vegetation. (Pérez-Arbeliez: Plantas itiles de Co- 
lombia (1947) 415). 
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