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67. Moco Tinto. 



Coriaria thymifolia 



POISON 



The moco tinto bush of Guatemala has small, juicy red-pur- 

 ple berries, rather attractive in appearance so that people are 

 tempted to eat them, but they are dangerously poisonous. 

 They are common in the mountains of Guatemala, where they 

 grow mostly at 7,000 to 8,000 feet, but are rarely found in 

 Costa Rica. The bush is often as tall as 6 feet and has spread- 

 ing or recurved stems and branches with many small leaves, 

 fern-like in appearance. Its small red-purple flowers are very 

 numerous. Another name for moco tinto is moco de chompipe. 



