The leaves of this small shrub in tea form are considered to be a 

 strong diuretic by the Brazilian inhabitants of the upper Rio 

 Negro where the vernacular name of the plant is niuruci. 



An alkaloid — lophantherine — has been reported from Lophan- 

 thera latescens Ducke, but its structure is still unknown (Heg- 

 nauer: Chemotaxonomie dcr PJlanzcn 5 (1969) 25). 



Mascagnia Benthamiana (Griseh.) Anderson in Mem. N.Y. Bot. 

 Card. 32(1981)217. 



Colombia: Coinisaria del Ama/onas, Rio Karaparana. entre las bocas y HI 

 Encanto. May 22-28, 2943. Schuhes 3H27a. 



The Witoto Indians give a drink prepared from the samaras of 

 Mascagnia Benthamiana to stimulate the appetite following 



serious malaria. 



This is the first collection of Mascangia Benihamiana from 

 Colombia, and the locality is far to the west of the general range of 

 the species. 



M^sct^gnm csLstenesi{Cua I r,) Anderson \n Mem. N.Y. Bot.Gard. 

 32(1981)218. 



Bra/jl: Estado do Ama/onas, Rio Negro basin, Rio Diniili, at base ofCerro 

 Dimiti. May 12-19. 1948. Schulic.s ef Lopez I00I4. 



Nati\es living along the uppermost Rio Negro consider the 

 bark of this liana toxic and assert that it was formerly employed 

 with other plant ingredients in preparing curare. 



This plant, first described as a species of Hcteropterys, has been 

 known hitherto onl) from the type collection. 



Tetrapteris sfyloptera Jussieu in Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 2, Bot. 13 

 (1840)262. 



Colombia: Comisaria del Ama/onas, Rio Miritiparana, Cano Guacaya, 

 ^Tlowers yellow. Vine." March 2-8, 1952. Schultes el Cabrera 15784. 



The Tanimukas, who call this vine wce-po-awk. employ the 

 bark in powdered form as a styptic. 



137 



