BOTANICAL MUSEUM LEAFLETS 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
Camprinagr, Massacnuserrs, NoveMBER 12, 1971 VoL. 23, No. 2 
LATUA PUBIFLORA 
MAGIC PLANT FROM SOUTHERN CHILE 
BY 
TimotHy PLowman,'’ Lars Outor GYLLENHAAL” 
AND JAN Erik LINDGREN” 
INTRODUCTION 
The Solanaceae or Nightshade Family has long been 
known for its narcotic, poisonous and medicinal plants, 
as well as for several important food plants. Various 
genera, such as Datura, Mandragora, Atropa, and Hyos- 
cyamus, contain potent alkaloids which have physiologi- 
cal effects on man. Native peoples throughout the world 
have discovered these plants and their properties quite 
independently of one another. For example, in both 
the Old and New Worlds, different species of the genus 
Datura have been widely used as narcotics and poisons 
by peoples as different as the Hindus, ancient Greeks 
and American Indians. 
This cultural convergence has occurred not only in the 
kinds of plants used but also in the circumstances and 
purposes involved in their use. Many solanaceous species 
contain the so-called belladonna alkaloids, including hy- 
oscyamine and scopolamine. These substances have a 
marked effect on the central nervous system, producing 
delirium, hallucinations and trance-like states often re- 
' Botanical Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 
” Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 
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