esteemed. The tree of second choice for this purpose is the 
cultivated fruit tree know as uva de monte, curura or mapati 
(Pourouma cecropiaefolia) which, as its specific epithet indi- 
cates, has a leaf resembling those of some species of Cecropia. 
Other plants may locally be employed in the preparation of 
ashes for coca. The Yukunas of the Rio Miritiparana of 
southeastern Colombia burn the bark of a species of Styrax 
(possibly an undescribed species) and add the ashes to coca 
powder for special festive occasions (Schultes et Cabrera, 16708). 
In the uppermost Rio Negro, for example, the leaves of the 
paxiuba palm (Iriartea exorrhiza) are valued; the Witotos of the 
Rio Igaraparana in Colombia esteem the leaves of another 
palm, the rui-re’-g6 or Astrocaryum Munbaca (Schultes 3885); 
the Taiwanos of the Rio Kananari may occasionally — apparent- 
ly for certain festivals — use the leaves of Costus amazonicus, 
which they call fa’-ka. These same Indians dry the leaves of C. 
amazonicus and C. erythrocoryne and use the powder to 
staunch nose-bleeds. They similarly employ the leaves of Ocotea 
simulans and the fruits of Ocotea opifera, which they assert 
makes the coca powder “stronger” for use in special dances. The 
leaves and twigs of the former species are slightly alkaloid- 
positive with Dragendorff reagent (Schultes, Raffauf et Soejarto 
24174); the leaves of the latter species (Schultes, Raffauf et 
Soejarto 24421) are alkaloid-negative. The Kubeo Indians, who 
call the plant ko’--ma-ma, formerly employed the leaves of 
Diplotropis Martiusii to prepare an ash for mixing with coca 
powder (Schultes, Raffauf et Soejarto 24389). The Witotos of 
the Rio Putumayo, the border area between Colombia and 
Peru, call Stylogyne amplifolia (Klug 2148: Schultes 3989), a 
member of the Myrsinaceae, jipina coca, coca silvestre, taife 
Jipina, taife diablo and tayfe heepeena. These names suggest 
that this plant possibly served as an additive to or substitute of 
Erythroxylon Coca var. Ipadu. 
Eventually, equal quantities of the green coca-powder and the 
grey ashes are thoroughly mixed. The mixture is then put into a 
small bag made of the pounded bark of a tree called tururi 
(species of either Ficus or of Eschweilera). A long stick is 
inserted into the bag as a handle and the mouth of the bag is 
50 
