Apocynaceae 
Prestonia R. Br. 
The source of the hallucinogenic yajé of the western Amazon 
has been reported as Prestonia (Haemadictyon) amazonica 
(Benth.) Macbride an identification allegedly based on misinter- 
pretation of field data and guesswork (Reinburg 1921). Al- 
though this assumption is well established in the botanical and 
chemical literature, recent evaluation of the evidence seriously 
discredits this suggestion (Schultes and Raffauf 1960). A report 
of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in P. amazonica (Hochstein and 
Paradies 1957) was based on an erroneous identification, with- 
out voucher specimens, of an aqueous extract of the leaves of a 
vine which may well have been Diplopterys Cabrerana (Bani- 
steriopsis Rusbyana). 
Cactaceae 
Ariocarpus Scheidw. 
The Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico employ Ario- 
carpus fissuratus (Engelm.) K. Schum., called sunami hikuri or 
cimarron, aS a narcotic, asserting that it is stronger than true 
peyote (Lophophora) (Schultes 1967, 1970a). 
There are five species known in this genus, all Mexican 
(Agurell 1969; Der Marderosian 1967a). 
Epithelantha Weber ex Britt. & Rose 
The Tarahumara likewise use Epithelantha micromeris (En- 
gelm.) Weber ex Britt. & Rose as a narcotic (Bye 1979; Schultes 
1970c). Chemical studies apparently have not been carried out 
on representatives of this genus of three species of southwestern 
United States and Mexico. 
Pachycereus (A. Berger) Britt. & Rose 
Another cactus utilized as a narcotic by the Tarahumara is the 
gigantic Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum (Engelm.) Britt. & 
Rose, which they call cawé (Bye 1979). Carnegine has been 
reported from this species (Agurell 1969). Another species, P. 
marginatus (DC.) Britt. & Rose, is said to contain pilocereine 
(Agurell 1969). 
There are five species of Pachycereus, all native to Mexico. 
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