Schultes 3521. —** Poison. Fruits used in making curare. Shrub.” April 
2-5, 1942. Schultes 3655,.—Santa Rosa y alrededores. *‘Roots and 
fruits used in Kofan curare preparation.’’ April 7-8, 1942. Schultes 
3613,—Rio Guamiies, Santa Rosa. Alt. 990 ft. ‘“Low and swampy 
area. Plant 44 ft. tall. Fruit bright orange. Root and fruit used in 
arrow poison; also sometimes used as a fish poison.’’ September 6, 
1966. H.V. Pinkley 435. 
In 1949, Schultes (in Bot. Mus. Leafl. Harvard Univ. 
13 (1949) 285-289) reported the use of Schoenobiblus 
peruvianus as ‘‘a very important ingredient in the arrow- 
poisons of the Kofin Indians of the Putumayo’’ in Co- 
lombia along the Ecuadorian border. The roots and the 
fruits are employed. 
Mr. Pinkley, asa result of his year-long ethnobotanical 
studies amongst the Kofiin Indians, has been able to 
conclude a detailed study of the employment of this in- 
teresting toxic plant in the preparation of arrow poisons, 
areport of which will be published elsewhere. His record 
that the plant is sometimes utilized as a fish poison 
extends our knowledge of its toxic activity and may be 
of interest chemically, inasmuch as the identity of the 
active principle is, as yet, unknown. 
The identification of the specimens cited above has 
been checked by Dr. Loren I. Nevling of the Arnold 
Arboretum. 
STYRACACEAE 
Styrax Tessmannii Perkins in Notizbl. 10 (1928) 
459. 
Cotombia ; Comisaria del Amazonas, Trapecio Amazonico, Rio Lore- 
toyacu. Tikuna name: me-re-ta-kee. March 1946. R.E. Schultes 7144. 
According to Tikuna Indians living along the Rio 
Loretoyacu, the aromatic resin from the stems of Styrax 
Tessmanni is poisonous when ingested. This has appar- 
ently not hitherto been reported, but, in view of persist- 
ent information to this effect, it bears phytochemical 
investigation. 
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