( 1 5); tannins are important inhibitors of the grazing of plants by 

 herbivores of many types (16). Indeed, triterpenes of the olea- 

 nane type have been found to be toxic to termites (17) and attine 

 ants (18). In our ooinion. an assessment of Caryocar as a com- 



me 



tions of the plants as sources of compounds or their derivatives 

 potentially toxic to insects. 



Anthodiscus C F. W. Meyer 



The ten species of Anthodiscus are trees or shrubs ranging in 

 tropical parts of northern South America in the Guianas, Vene- 

 zuela and the westernmost Amazon of Brazil, Colombia and 



Peru. 



It is of pertinent interest that our ethnobotanical field studies 



indicate that several species of Anthodiscus are similarly employed 

 by Indians in the Colombian Vaupes. The ichthyotoxic use of 

 two species was reported earlier (19). Unfortunately, material of 

 the three species known to be sources of fish poisons in the 

 Vaupes have not been available for phytochemical study. 

 Apparently little or nothing is known about the chemical com- 

 position of the genus (9). 



Anthodiscus obvatus Bentham ex Wittmack in Martius, Fl. 

 Bras. 12, Pt. 1 (1886)358. 



Columbia: Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Apaporis, Raudal de Jerijerimo. 

 "Small tree. Flowers yellow/' November 27, 1951, Schultes et Cabrera 

 14660. — Rio Apaporis, Raudal Yayacopi. "Bush. Flowers yellow." August 18, 

 1952, Schultes et Cabrera 16924. — Rio Vaupes, Raudal de Yurupari. "Small 

 bush by falls. Sandy soil. Fish poison." August 1960, Cabrera sine num. 



The Tukano Indians of the Colombian Vaupes, besides using 

 this plant as a fish poison, employ it as an ingredient, together 

 with Strychnos, in preparing a type of curare. 



The Tanimuka name of Anthodiscus obovatus is tee-fe'-roo'- 

 ka. In the Makuna language, it is ko-meri-tan-go or gaw'-we. 

 The Makus call it chee-aW \ 



Anthodiscus peruanus Baillon in Adansonia 10 (1872) 241. 



Colombia: Comisaria del Vaupes, Rio Negro, Cafio Ducuruapo. "Tall 



tree, 34-40 feet; diameter 18 inches. Wood hard, white. Bark shaggy, dark 



252 



