parts of tropical America. The Brazilian Liseanthus pen- 
dulus Mart., for example, is valued asa bitter tonic and 
febrifuge; several other species are similarly used in 
French Guiana (Heckel, loc. cit., 57). The insectifugal 
properties of Listanthus nigrescens seem not to have been 
recorded, and, in view of a similar use of a species of the 
closely allied genus Chelonanthus (see above), they would 
appear to be worth investigating. 
In northeastern Oaxaca, this plant is known amongst 
the Chinantecs as /ee-the. ‘The Mazatecs of Huautla refer 
to it as shka-tee-tso. The Mije call it yerh. 
GESNERIACEAE 
Nautilocalyx sp. 
Cotoms1a: Comisaria del Vaupés, Rio Vaupés, savannah at base of 
Cerro de Mitt. September 27—October 20, 1966. R.E.Schultes, R.F. 
Raffauf et D. Soejarto 24211. ‘‘Flowers white. Terrestrial.’’ 
A spot test for alkaloids, given on fresh material in 
the field, was positive. This result is noteworthy in view 
of the fact that evidence of alkaloids in this family is 
almost wholly negative. An unknown alkaloid has been 
reported from the European Ramondia pyreaica Rich. 
Alkaloid spot tests made on several species of Besleria 
(B. ignea Fritsch: Schultes, Raffauf et Soejarto 24053) 
and Alloplectus (A. semicordatus P. et E.: Schultes, 
Raffauf et Soejarto 24225) from the Colombian Amazon 
were negative. 
The collection Schultes, Raffauf et Soejarto 24211 is 
sterile. It has been identified to genus by Dr. H. Emery 
Moore of the Bailey Hortorium. 
RUBIACEAE 
Duroia L. fil. 
Although this genus has apparently not been recorded 
as toxic, the number of reports from natives affirming 
[ 151 | 
