greenish brown. Peduncle reddish; floral bracts pale green above, 
red beneath. Fls. white (?). Use: mixed with ayahuasca to see 
visions.’’ February 28, 1959. T. Plowman (with F. Tina) 2572. 
No biodynamic constituent is known from the Maran- 
thaceous Calathea Veitchiana (10). 
Pontederia cordata Linnaeus Sp. Pl. (1758) 288. 
CotomsBia: Comisaria del Putumayo, Mocoa. Camino de Herradura 
Antiguo y Rio Rumiyaco. Alt. 700-850 m. **N. ov. amaroén borra- 
cheré. Planta aquatica. Flores blancas. Se usa para quitar parialisis 
fasciales.’’ October 10, 1965. H. Garcia-Barriga, Y. Hashimoto et 
M. Ishikawa 18685. 
The vernacular name amaron borrachero suggests that 
Pontederia cordata either possesses intoxicating princi- 
ples or is employed as an additive to a narcotic prepara- 
tion made basically from another plant. The principal 
narcotic employed in the area of the collection is the 
drink prepared from Banisteriopsis inebrians. In view 
of the probable lack of toxic principles in this species 
(10), its use as a symbolic additive is the more likely of 
the possibilities. 
It has long been known that natives in the Amazon 
area recognize different age forms or ecological forms of 
plants as ‘‘different kinds”’ of the same species. They 
even ascribe to these ‘‘different kinds’’ of plants a variety 
of biological effects. There may well be different chemi- 
cal composition—at different ages or stages of growth— 
we do not know. At any rate, the Indians do definitely 
ascribe different strengths or intensities of effect to their 
‘*different kinds’’ of the same species. This curious treat- 
ment according to age forms or stages of growth is es- 
pecially well recognized in native classifications of the 
caapi or yagé plant. 
Mr. Stephen Hugh-Jones of King’s College, Cam- 
bridge, spent many months amongst the Barasanas of 
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