a bundle and left to ferment for two days before being crushed 

 and thrown into the water to stun fish (Schultes in prep.). The 

 Kubeos and other tribes of the Vaupes in Colombia use the 

 pulverized and dried inflorescences of Philoclendron dyscarpiuni 

 R.E. Schultes as a contracepti\e: the powder is added to the food 

 of the women (Schultes in prep.). 



lindetermined specimen of Araceae. 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 962. 



Waorani Informant: deque (m). Downriver dialect: n.v. co- 



This unidentified climbing epiphste of the primar} forest has a 

 conspicuous red spadix and a compound leaf with ten segments. 

 The aroid is used to treat warble fly infestations {Dcrmaiobius 

 honiinus) by rubbing the sap from the fruit o\ er the infected spot 



to draw out the larva. 



Because the palmate leaf is said to resemble that of yuca 

 (Afanihol csculenta), the plant is ritually brushed over children so 

 that they will grow up able to raise ample supplies of yuca. 



DioscoKi .\(i;ai-; 



Dioscorea trifida L., Suppl. Plant Syst. Veg. (1781)427. 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 992. 



Waorani Informant: Oncaye(0. Downriver dialect: n.v. cowan^o 



The Waorani cultivate this liana for its edible tuber by propa- 

 gating it vegetativeK with pieces of the tuber. It is commonly 

 planted around house sites or along the margin of cultivated 

 plots. 



MtSA('i;An 



Musa paradisiaca I.., Sp. PI. (1753) 1043. 

 Collect.: Davis & Yost s.n. 

 n.v. p^fn^ 



The Waorani widely cultivate plantains, which rank in impor- 

 tance with yuca (Manihoi esciilcnia) and chonta (Bactris Gasi- 

 pacs) as a source of carbohydrate. Some Waorani families use it 



178 



