are gathered and reduced to ashes. The ashes are reputedly the 

 best type for mixing with clay used in pottery and ceramics. The 

 product must be excellent to make it worthwhile braving the 

 ferocity of the ants! 



The Puinave name of this bushy treelet is miiin or muin-wari' 

 she-pe-ne: the latter name means ^''^muin for pottery." The 

 Yukuna call the plant ka-roo-wo' and the Makuna hoo-he'-gee. 



Tachigalia myrmecophila Ducke in Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio Jan. 3 

 (1922) 91. 



Colombia: Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Negro, Cano Ducuruapo. "Large tree 

 along river bank. Flowers yellow. December 13 17, 1947. Schultes ei Lopez 

 9389. — Rio Kananari. "Tree. Flowers yellow; very fragrant." August 6, 1951. 

 Schultes et Cabrera 13421. 



The ashes of this plant are mixed with clay to strengthen 

 pottery. 



Tachigalia paniculata Aublet var. comosa Dwyer in Ann. 

 Mo. Bot. Card. 41 (1954) 240, t. 10, fig. 9. ' 



Colombia: Comisaria del Amazonas, Rio Loretoyocu. September 1 946. 

 Schultes et Garcia- Barriga 8360. — Same locality. September 1946. Schultes 

 8266. 



Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Apaporis, Jinogoje. September 3 11, 1952. 

 Garcia- Barriga 14418. — Rio Vaupes, Cachivera de Tatu. "Large tree, 35 40 

 feet tall. Flowers pink. September 27-October 20, 1966. Schultes, Raffauf et 

 Soejarto 24389. 



This species is alkaloid negative with a Dragendorff reagent 

 spot test in the field. The leaves formerly were burned for mixing 

 with powdered coca {Erythroxylon Coca Lam. var. Ipadu 

 Plowman) leaves. 



Tachigalia ptychophysca Spruce ex Bentham in Martius, Fl. 



Bras. 15, pt. 2 (1870) 299. 



Colombia: Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Apaporis, Raudal Jerijerimo. 'Tree 12 

 m. tall. Petals yellow, stamens white," July 7, 1951. Schultes et Cabrera 

 12955. — Same locality. "Tree 60 feet tall. Flowers yellow. August 7, 1951. 

 Schultes et Cabrera 13488. — Uou\.\\ of Rio Pacoa. July 18, 1951, Schultes et 

 Cabrera 13082. 



351 



