Duroia saccifera (Mart.) Hooker fil. ex K. Schu- 
mann in Martius Fl. Bras. 6, pt.6 (1889) 862, t.146, fig. 1. 
CotombBra: Comisaria del Amazonas, Rio Apaporis, Soratama and 
vicinity. ‘‘Tree 10 m, tall.’’ March 26, 1952. R.E. Schultes et I. 
Cabrera 16065, 
The natives in the middle course of the Rio Apaporis 
state that the seeds of this small forest tree are toxic 
when ingested. 
This collection extends the known range of Duroia 
saccifera into the Amazonian basin of Colombia; it has 
hitherto been known from Amazonian Brazil and the 
Rio Guainia area of Venezuela. 
Duroia Sprucei Rusby Descr. New Sp. S. Am. PI. 
(1920) 133. 
CoLombia : Comisaria del Amazonas, Trapecio Amazoénico, Rio Lore- 
toyacu, “Small tree. Flood bank.’’ May, 1946. R.E. Schultes 7127. 
—Rio Apaporis, Soratama, above mouth of Rio Kananari. June 18, 
1951. RE, Schultes et I. Cabrera 126465. 
The seeds of this small tree have the reputation 
amongst the natives of the Rio Apaporis of being poison- 
ous to eat. 
The type of Durota Sprucei was collected in Vene- 
zuela. ‘The collections cited above extend the known 
range of the species significantly southwestward. 
Psychotria L. 
So far as the available chemical literature is concerned, 
there is little if any indication that the seeds and fruits 
of species of Psychotria would be toxic when ingested 
by man. Reports to this effect, however, are so frequent 
and are scattered over such a wide area that phytochemi- 
cal studies based upon these ethnobotanical observations 
are justified. 
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