Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol. 29, No. I 



Winter 1983 



DE PLANUS TOXICARIIS 



E MUNDO NOVO TROPICALE 



COMMENTATIONES XXX 



BIODYNAMIC GUTTIFEROUS PLANTS 

 OF THE NORTHWEST AMAZON 



Richard Evans Schultes 



Plants with latex or resins seem to be accorded a special con- 

 sideration as medicinals among the Indians of the northwest 

 Amazon. Representatives of the Guttiferae appear to be re- 

 peatedly pointed out as therapeutic plants, the primary applica- 

 tions often being associated with their latex or resin content. 



The following species were indicated as having medicinal or 

 toxic use by Indians of the northwest Amazon during my four- 

 teen years of field work in this area. 



The species of Clusia and several other genera have been iden- 

 tified by Dr. Bassett Maguire of the New York Botanical 

 Garden. The collections cited below are preserved in the Eco- 

 nomic Herbarium of Oakes Ames or in the Gray Herbarium, 

 both at Harvard University, the New York Botanical Garden 

 and/or the Herbario Nacional in Bogota. The genera are 

 arranged alphabetically. 



Caraipa laxiflora Bentham in Hooker, Lond. Journ. Bot. 2 

 (1843)364. 



Brazil: Estado do Amazonas, Middle Rio Negro, between the mouth of Rio 



Curicuriari and Barcellos, Vista Alegrc. September 26-October 14, 1947. 



Schultes ei Lopez 8867. 



Colombia: Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Apaporis, Raudal Yayacopi. "Small 

 tree, 10 12 feet. Fruit brown." February 15, 1952. Schultes et Cabrera 15363. 



The Puinave Indians of Colombia know this plant as kar-pat'\ 

 the Kubuyari as ma-wan-he-te. The Indians of the middle Rio 

 Apaporis basin apply the sap to cure fungal diseases of the skin. 



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