PONTEDERIACEAE 
Pontederia cordata Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. (1753) 288. 
CoLomsBiA: Comisaria del Putumayo, Mocoa. Camino de Herradura Antiguo 
y Rio Rumiyaco. Alt. 700-850 m. “N. v. amaron borrachero” Planta actatica, 
Flores blancas. Se usa para quitar paralisis fasciales.” October 10, 1965. H. 
Garcia- Barriga, Y. Hashimoto et M. Ishikawa 18685. 
The vernacular name amarodn borrachero indicates that 
Pontederia cordata either possesses intoxicating principles or is 
employed as an additive to a narcotic preparation made basically 
from Banisteriopsis Caapi. In view of the probable lack of toxic 
principles in this species (Hegnauer, R.: Chemotaxonomie der 
Pflanzen 2 (1963) 419-421), the latter use is the more likely of the 
two possibilities. 
According to the collectors, Pontederia cordata is employed to 
relieve facial paralysis, but the manner of its use is not specified. 
AMARYLLIDACEAE 
Eucharis amazonica Linden in Ill. Hort. 28 (1881) 30. 
Ecuapor: Napo, Rio Aguarico, Dureno. February 7, 1966. H. V. Pinkley 105. 
Amongst the Kofans, the whole plant (including the bulb) is 
boiled and steeped to prepare an emetic tea. Pinkley reports that 
“this insures greater accuracy in using the blow gun while hunting 
monkeys.” The Kofan name is kon-si-achipa-cho. 
An alkaloid —lycorine—has been isolated from Eucharis 
grandiflora Planch. This constituent appears to be widespread in 
the family (Hegnauer: loc. cit. 2 (1963) 58; Raffauf, R. F.: A 
Handbook of Alkaloids and Alkaloid-containing Plants (1970). 
H AEMODORACEAE 
Schiekia orinocensis (H BK.) Meissner, Plant. Vasc. Gen. 2 (1842) 
300. 
CoLomsiA: Comisaria del Putumayo, Rio Sucumbios (San Miguel). April 
7-8, 1942. R. E. Schultes 3568. 
